# baroque

/bɝˈoʊk/ (US) · /bəɹˈəʊk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/baroque
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. art/music period

adjective · CEFR C1 · Academic

relating to a style of European art, music, and buildings from about 1600 to 1750 that used a lot of decoration.

For teachers: 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.

Usage: Often capitalized when referring specifically to the historical period.

### 2. highly decorated

adjective · CEFR C1 · Literary

having a lot of complicated details or decorations.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. overly complex

adjective · CEFR C2 · Formal

too complicated or difficult to understand because there are too many parts.

For teachers: 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.

### 4. the style itself

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

the style of art, music, or architecture from the 17th and 18th centuries.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The palace has a beautiful baroque style.
- The museum's baroque wing features gold leaf and dramatic marble statues.
- Scholars debate whether the composer's late works represent a transition from baroque complexity to classical clarity.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.