polychrome
adjective
poly·chrome
ˈpä-lē-ˌkrōm 
: relating to, made with, or decorated in several colors
polychrome pottery
polychrome
transitive verb
Examples of polychrome in a Sentence
polychrome pottery featuring designs from the American Southwest
Recent Examples on the Web
Its chandeliers are made of handblown Murano glass, its bathrooms of polychrome Italian marble.
—
Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 30 June 2025
La Grande Dame is made of carved and polychrome wood that has been painted with imagery alluding to a rich tapestry of cultural references, including ancient folklore, witchcraft, and an Egyptian creation myth.
—Karen K. Ho, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2019
Coat of black silk satin brocaded with polychrome silk thread in a pattern of tulips; belt of black silk satin; blouse of white silk-cotton batiste; skirt of beige cotton-linen twill.
—Irene Kim, Vogue, 28 June 2024
In the artist Eddie Martinez’s dense, polychrome paintings, each mark is haunted by the gesture that made it and each color seems to demand its own verb: The thick gray drips; a bright red streak declares; a daub of blue hesitates.
—Phoebe Chen, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2023
The polychrome theme continues indoors in kaleidoscopic floor patterns, a wall tiled with the colors of every Latin American flag, and an immense mural by Aurelio del Muro and Marta Blair.
—Wes Tarca, Curbed, 12 Jan. 2023
The conservator at the time, Michele Marincola, was in the midst of this crazy project to get these bugs out of medieval polychrome sculptures without damaging the wood or the paint.
—Diana Budds, Curbed, 13 June 2022
Hudson’s Birdie shows up with suitcases full of rich-hippie clothes, including a mesmerizing polychrome swirl of a dress that nearly hypnotizes the other guests into a stupor.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 22 Nov. 2022
The study focuses on the polychrome pottery of the late classic Mayan period (600–900 CE), which frequently depicts palace scenes, ball games, hunting parties, and dances associated with human sacrifice (via decapitation).
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 15 Sep. 2022
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Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 30 June 2025
La Grande Dame is made of carved and polychrome wood that has been painted with imagery alluding to a rich tapestry of cultural references, including ancient folklore, witchcraft, and an Egyptian creation myth.
—Karen K. Ho, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2019
Coat of black silk satin brocaded with polychrome silk thread in a pattern of tulips; belt of black silk satin; blouse of white silk-cotton batiste; skirt of beige cotton-linen twill.
—Irene Kim, Vogue, 28 June 2024
In the artist Eddie Martinez’s dense, polychrome paintings, each mark is haunted by the gesture that made it and each color seems to demand its own verb: The thick gray drips; a bright red streak declares; a daub of blue hesitates.
—Phoebe Chen, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2023
The polychrome theme continues indoors in kaleidoscopic floor patterns, a wall tiled with the colors of every Latin American flag, and an immense mural by Aurelio del Muro and Marta Blair.
—Wes Tarca, Curbed, 12 Jan. 2023
The conservator at the time, Michele Marincola, was in the midst of this crazy project to get these bugs out of medieval polychrome sculptures without damaging the wood or the paint.
—Diana Budds, Curbed, 13 June 2022
Hudson’s Birdie shows up with suitcases full of rich-hippie clothes, including a mesmerizing polychrome swirl of a dress that nearly hypnotizes the other guests into a stupor.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 22 Nov. 2022
The study focuses on the polychrome pottery of the late classic Mayan period (600–900 CE), which frequently depicts palace scenes, ball games, hunting parties, and dances associated with human sacrifice (via decapitation).
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 15 Sep. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Polychrome.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polychrome. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
polychrome
adjective
poly·chrome
ˈpäl-i-ˌkrōm
: relating to, made with, or decorated in several colors
polychrome pottery
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