triptych

noun

trip·​tych ˈtrip-(ˌ)tik How to pronounce triptych (audio)
1
a
: a picture (such as an altarpiece) or carving in three panels side by side
b
: something composed or presented in three parts or sections
especially : trilogy
2
: an ancient Roman writing tablet with three waxed leaves hinged together

Did you know?

Triptych Has Greek Roots

A painted or carved triptych typically has three hinged panels, and the two outer panels can be folded in towards the central one. A literary or musical triptych generally consists of three closely related or contrasting themes or parts. Triptych derives from the Greek triptychos ("having three folds"), formed by combining tri- ("three") and ptychē ("fold" or "layer"). Although triptych originally described a specific type of Roman writing tablet that had three hinged sections, it is not surprising that the idea was generalized first to a type of painting, and then to anything composed of three parts.

Examples of triptych in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The impressive work of art is a triptych crafted from wool yarn. Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Mar. 2024 Our cartoon, seen from a distance, makes a triptych: in the middle, between the training data on one side and the generative outputs on the other, there extends a vast, strange forest. Jaron Lanier, The New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2024 Simone Rocha called her show the final part of a triptych of collections, beginning with her Spring-Summer collection shown in September, a guest slot designing for Jean Paul Gaultier couture in Paris last month, and now her latest Fall-Winter 2024 line. Fiona Sinclair Scott, CNN, 21 Feb. 2024 Behind the living room couch hangs a triptych, gilded wood framing scenes that were assembled with vibrant leather from book covers and spines. Chicago Tribune, Orange County Register, 1 Feb. 2024 Without drawing explicit connections between these women—each is presented on her own, a separate panel in the triptych—Flock is putting them in conversation with one another. Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2024 One of the first rooms in the Wing of Manifestly Superior European Art has a Renaissance triptych hanging next to an intentionally grotesque Max Beckmann three-panel work. James Lileks, National Review, 21 Dec. 2023 His artwork for the show — two multimedia triptychs — combines images of broken mirrors, black cats and the number 13. Leigh-Ann Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2024 The original, a triptych of photographs capturing Ai smashing a 2,000-year-old Chinese relic, referenced the destruction of Chinese heritage during Mao’s Cultural Revolution. Jay Cheshes, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'triptych.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Greek triptychos having three folds, from tri- + ptychē fold

First Known Use

1731, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of triptych was in 1731

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Cite this Entry

“Triptych.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/triptych. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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