Word
rococo
Phoneticsro·co·co, stress on the second syllable
US/ɹəˈkoʊˌkoʊ/
UK/ɹəkˈəʊkəʊ/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. a very decorated art and building style from 1700s Europe, with curves, gold, shells and light colours.
n. an 18th-century European artistic style marked by elaborate ornament, curved forms, pastel colours and playful asymmetry in painting, architecture and interior decoration.
Examples
“Her living room has a light rococo touch with gold chairs.”
“The palace tour shows rococo rooms full of mirrors, curved gold frames and painted ceilings.”
“Scholars often read rococo not as mere decoration but as a deliberate move toward lightness, intimacy and play.”
Examples
simple
“Her living room has a light rococo touch with gold chairs.”
contextual
“The palace tour shows rococo rooms full of mirrors, curved gold frames and painted ceilings.”
complex
“Scholars often read rococo not as mere decoration but as a deliberate move toward lightness, intimacy and play.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “rococo” in context.
Verb
01. embrace rococo
“Eighteenth-century aristocrats embraced rococo for its elegance and lightness.”
verb + noun
02. exemplify rococo
“The Amalienburg pavilion perfectly exemplifies rococo at its most playful.”
verb + noun
Adjective
03. bavarian rococo
“Bavarian rococo churches combine white walls with exuberant gilded ornament.”
adj + noun
04. flamboyant rococo
“The palace ballroom is a flamboyant rococo fantasy of curves and cherubs.”
adj + noun
05. french rococo
“The salon is a perfect example of French rococo with gilded mirrors and pastel panels.”
adj + noun
06. late rococo
“Late rococo interiors favoured lighter colours and playful shell motifs.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. excess of rococo
“Critics dismissed the boudoir as an excess of rococo ornament.”
noun + prep + noun
08. heyday of rococo
“The 1750s marked the heyday of rococo in French and German palaces.”
noun + prep + noun
09. a triumph of rococo design
“The pavilion remains a triumph of rococo design and craftsmanship.”
10. at the height of rococo
“The Wieskirche was built at the height of rococo in the 1750s.”
11. capture the spirit of rococo
“The restoration captures the spirit of rococo with pastel tones and gilded curves.”
12. in full rococo splendour
“After restoration, the ballroom glows in full rococo splendour.”
Real-World Examples
“The smaller sculptures look like a post-apocalyptic take on decorative rococo ceramics.” “They’re like messy, rough takes on chintzy 18th-century European decorative art, rococo porcelain with its depictions of reclining ladies in voluminous dresses.” “By the mid-18th century the solemnity of Baroque had given way to the verve of rococo, an essentially intimate and playful style, marked by a new emphasis on color, light, grace and sensuousness.” “Kneebone’s porcelain sculptures are crazed reworkings of the kind of Rococo delights that fill the Wallace Collection, so this is a match made in Versailles.” Etymology
Borrowed from French rococo.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/rococo