tableau

noun

tab·​leau ˈta-ˌblō How to pronounce tableau (audio) ta-ˈblō How to pronounce tableau (audio)
plural tableaux ˈta-ˌblōz How to pronounce tableau (audio)
ta-ˈblōz
also tableaus
1
: a graphic description or representation : picture
winsome tableaux of old-fashioned literary daysJ. D. Hart
2
: a striking or artistic grouping : arrangement, scene
3
[short for tableau vivant (from French, literally, living picture)] : a depiction of a scene usually presented on a stage by silent and motionless costumed participants

Examples of tableau in a Sentence

The houses are grouped together in a charming tableau.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For our cover image, the artist Joe McKendry painted a tableau of figures drawn from the stories in the issue. Peter Mendelsund, The Atlantic, 8 Oct. 2025 Use a black paint pen to freehand or stencil your house numbers on a simple white pumpkin, then surround it with additional pumpkins of all shapes and sizes and plenty of colorful fall blooms for a charming tableau. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Oct. 2025 At Wembley the previous March, Newcastle fans had won the weekend in London, turning Trafalgar Square into a boozy tableau of black-and-white mayhem, but the team had scarcely turned up for their Carabao Cup final against Manchester United. George Caulkin, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025 The latter inspired the presentation setting, a reproduction of different vignettes and tableau vivants scattered across the rooms of the restaurant, while the pattern decked many of the spring lineup’s new addition. Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tableau

Word History

Etymology

French, from Middle French tablel, diminutive of table, from Old French

First Known Use

1660, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tableau was in 1660

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tableau.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tableau. Accessed 12 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

tableau

noun
tab·​leau ˈtab-ˌlō How to pronounce tableau (audio) ta-ˈblō How to pronounce tableau (audio)
plural tableaux -ˌlōz How to pronounce tableau (audio)
-blōz
also tableaus
: a scene or event shown by a group of persons in costume who remain silent and motionless

More from Merriam-Webster on tableau

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!