rococo

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noun ro·co·co \rə-ˈkō-(ˌ)kō, rō-kə-ˈkō\

Definition of rococo

: rococo work or style

rococo was our Word of the Day on 04/26/2015. Hear the podcast!

Recent Examples of rococo from the Web

What looks like a fancy rococo wallpaper design in black and white and in gold is actually an arrangement of handcuffs, chains, surveillance cameras, Twitter birds and stylized alpacas—an animal which in China has become a meme against censorship.

— roger catlin, Smithsonian, "Ai Weiwei Depicts the Brutality of Authoritarianism in an Unusual Medium–Legos," 12 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rococo.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of rococo

1835

Other Fine Arts Terms

Gothic, baroque, bas-relief, limn, oeuvre, pastiche, sfumato

rococo

adjective ro·co·co

Definition of rococo

1a : of or relating to an artistic style especially of the 18th century characterized by fanciful curved asymmetrical forms and elaborate ornamentationb : of or relating to an 18th century musical style marked by light gay ornamentation and departure from thorough-bass and polyphony
2 : excessively ornate or intricate

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Examples of rococo in a Sentence

The chairs are carved in a rococo style.

Recent Examples of rococo from the Web

Valued at a more modest $3 million, Untitled (2013), a sculpture by Wool, rests in a flowerbed at Buckingham Plaza North, where the globular tangle of bronze wire is juxtaposed against the rococo-style Buckingham Fountain.

— james steinbauer, chicagotribune.com, "Along Chicago's Lakefront Trail, an open-air museum," 22 June 2017
Perhaps just the company name, which would likely have been fussier: the Uber Personal Conveyance Concern, rendered in some rococo style along the lines of Coca-Cola’s script.

— rob walker, Fortune, "How Logos Became the Most Important Quarter-Inch in Business," 16 June 2017
In the early 1700s, the Baroque gave way to the more sentimental Rococo style, typified by soft pinks and blues, light curves and amorous gods and maidens.

— jason farago, New York Times, "How a Love of French Art Helped Shape the American Republic," 15 June 2017
In the hands of Fuller and Mikkelsen, Dr. Lecter is a rococo riff on the doomed Dorian Gray, his every move and meal a deadly seduction of those around him.

— manuel betancourt, The Atlantic, "The Refreshing Queer Sensibility of American Gods," 11 June 2017
Born to a French Protestant (Huguenot) family fleeing persecution in France, de Lamerie found success in London through inventive design in the Rococo style and his savvy business acumen.

— NOLA.com, "NOMA redecorates: Furniture, lamps and other decorative pieces come back on display," 24 May 2017
Kendall took a cue from her own 21st birthday dress (and thus eternal aughts muse Paris Hilton) in a silver metal mesh, spaghetti strap mini dress with a triangle hem, accented with black lace and bedazzled rococo 3D embellishments.

— emily kirkpatrick, PEOPLE.com, "Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid Wear Glittering Gowns to the Fashion For Relief Gala," 22 May 2017
As for those rococo wigs and peonies, they were found at Morgan Library & Museum’s Spring Luncheon and were inspired by paintings from the Nationalmuseum of Sweden on view through Sunday.

— amanda l gordon, Bloomberg.com, "As Trump's Next 100 Days Roll On, New York Gala Season Revs Up," 12 May 2017
Moira Buffini, who adapted Jane Eyre beautifully for the cinema in 2011, has had a lot of fun with the dialogue, which manages to be rococo and Gothic at the same time.

— viv groskop, Newsweek, "Review: New Drama Series 'Harlots' Takes on the Oldest Profession in Riotous Fashion," 21 Mar. 2017

Did You Know?

In the 18th century, French artists rebelled against the ponderousness of Baroque style and began to create light, delicate interior decorations, furniture, and architectural elements characterized by fanciful curved asymmetrical forms and elaborate ornamentation. The name of their new style, rococo, has been traced to the French rocaille, a term that evoked the ornamental use of rock and shell forms. In time, rococo was also applied to similarly ornamented and intimate styles of painting and music. But all fashions fade, and by the mid-1800s the rococo style was deemed excessively ornate and out-of-date. Now rococo is often used with mild disdain to describe the overly elaborate.