Word
baroque
US/bɝˈoʊk/
UK/bəɹˈəʊk/
Definitions
01art/music period
adj. relating to a style of European art, music, and buildings from about 1600 to 1750 that used a lot of decoration.
adj. relating to the Early Modern period of Western culture characterized by grand scale, dramatic motion, and exuberant ornamentation.
“The cathedral is a famous example of Baroque architecture with its gold statues.”
“Scholars often contrast the mathematical clarity of the Renaissance with the emotional intensity and dynamic movement of the Baroque era.”
Academic
Usage
Often capitalized when referring specifically to the historical period.
Antonyms
02highly decorated
adj. having a lot of complicated details or decorations.
adj. characterized by intricate, lavish, or excessive ornamentation.
“The old theater was filled with baroque carvings of flowers and angels.”
“The novelist's baroque prose style, while beautiful, requires a high degree of concentration from the reader due to its layered metaphors.”
Literary
03overly complex
adj. too complicated or difficult to understand because there are too many parts.
adj. excessively complex or convoluted in a way that may seem unnecessary or confusing.
“The company's baroque rules for getting a refund made customers very angry.”
“The tax code has become so baroque that even professional accountants struggle to interpret the overlapping regulations.”
Formal
Synonyms
Antonyms
04the style itself
n. the style of art, music, or architecture from the 17th and 18th centuries.
n. the ornate and dramatic style of the Baroque period, or the period itself.
“He is a specialist in the Italian Baroque and its influence on painting.”
“The transition from the High Renaissance to the Baroque marked a significant shift in how light and shadow were utilized to create depth.”
Academic
Real-World Examples
“While distinctly modern, they also nod to classical friezes, baroque fountains and, as is about to become abundantly clear, rococo canvases.” “Natural poise and fluid technique ensure lines have room to breathe while remaining within the bounds of baroque keyboard practice.” Etymology
Via French (which originally meant a pearl of irregular shape) from Portuguese barroco (“irregular pearl”); related to Spanish barrueco and Italian barocco and Sicilian baroccu, of uncertain ultimate origin, but possibly from Latin verruca (“wart”), or possibly from the technical construction of scholastic logic, Baroco.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.