baroque
UK: bəˈrɒk | US: bəˈroʊk
adj. 1. highly ornate and extravagant in style (esp. 17th–18th century European art/music/architecture)
adj. 2. complex or convoluted in character
No data yet.
Derived from Portuguese barroco ("irregular pearl"), likely via Spanish barroco. Initially a pejorative term in art criticism (18th century) to describe overly elaborate works, later reclaimed as a neutral stylistic descriptor. The pearl metaphor reflects the style’s asymmetry and flamboyance.
The baroque cathedral dazzled visitors with its gilded altars and twisted columns.
Bach’s baroque compositions feature intricate counterpoint.
Her writing style is deliberately baroque, filled with Latinate phrases.
The palace’s baroque frescoes depict mythological scenes in dramatic detail.
Critics dismissed the design as "baroque excess" during the minimalist 1990s.