Make Your Point > Archived Issues > ARABESQUE
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pronounce
ARABESQUE:
Say it "AIR uh BESK."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
As we check out the gorgeous word arabesque, see if you can recall another word that means "intricate, highly complex"--one that also suggests an intricate kind of art, or architecture, characteristic of a certain culture. It's B____tine.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
"Arabesque" looks like the words "Arab," "Arabic," and "Arabian" because they all trace back through Latin and Greek to the Arabic language itself, to a word that might literally mean "one who lives in the desert."
In English, the word "Arabesque" first referred to the Arabic language, but we don't use it that way anymore. Instead, it's taken on a specific meaning in Islamic art, which inspired some more meanings in dance and music.
Here are some arabesques in art:
And in dance:
And in music:
As you can see, arabesque is a style of intricate artistic decoration, as well as an intricate ballet move and a genre of intricate music.
So, in general, if you call something an arabesque, you mean it's something full of beauty, complexity, and embellishment, as if flowing with many graceful lines, in a way that reminds you of the art, the ballet move, or the music.
"Arabesque" is an adjective, too. Something arabesque is beautiful, complex, and full of embellishment.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Often a noun, the countable kind: "The dancer held an arabesque; "The fabric is embroidered with arabesques."
Also an adjective: "arabesque floor tiles," "an arabesque plot."
Other forms:
The plural noun is "arabesques."
how to use it:
Although "arabesque" is a semi-common word, it sounds so fancy and artistic that it can come off as a little snobby. So, use it with care.
It suggests complexity, interlacing, and curves, so you might use it to describe, say, the plot of a novel, the mind of a genius, the design of a poem or a system, or someone's style of speaking or writing.
examples:
"All in all, his personality was an arabesque: intricate, symmetrical, balanced, and tightly constructed—except for one flaw."
— Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye, 1970
"There was not a square inch of his body that was not tattooed, front and back, and from his neck to his toes... They scrubbed him so much that the arabesques of his tattooing began to fade."
— Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude, 1967
has this page helped you understand "arabesque"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "arabesque" without saying "full of well-balanced embellishment" or "extravagantly ornamented."
try it out:
If you have a moment to listen to some music, check out Arabesque No.1 and No.2 by Debussy.
Does this highly ornamented style of music appeal to you? Would you enjoy having an arabesque play as you work or study? Why or why not?
Or: would you enjoy working in a room with arabesque wallpaper? Why or why not?
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game this month is Crossword Clues: Defining by Rhyming!
Check out the given term, and try to complete the definition by supplying a missing rhyming word. For example, if I give you "bevy = _ _ _ _ herd," then you give me "bird," because a bevy is a bird herd. To peek at the answer, scroll all the way down. Enjoy!
antipathy = ill _ _ _ _
review this word:
A. STARK.
B. PRUDENT.
C. BASHFUL.
2.
A New York Times writer described a dancer's "_____ arabesque _____."
A. furious .. glare
B. glorious .. line
C. voracious .. embrace
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
On vocabulary...
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.
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A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
As we check out the gorgeous word arabesque, see if you can recall another word that means "intricate, highly complex"--one that also suggests an intricate kind of art, or architecture, characteristic of a certain culture. It's B____tine.
"Arabesque" looks like the words "Arab," "Arabic," and "Arabian" because they all trace back through Latin and Greek to the Arabic language itself, to a word that might literally mean "one who lives in the desert."
Part of speech:
Although "arabesque" is a semi-common word, it sounds so fancy and artistic that it can come off as a little snobby. So, use it with care.
"All in all, his personality was an arabesque: intricate, symmetrical, balanced, and tightly constructed—except for one flaw."
Explain the meaning of "arabesque" without saying "full of well-balanced embellishment" or "extravagantly ornamented."
If you have a moment to listen to some music, check out Arabesque No.1 and No.2 by Debussy.
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |