Illustration of arabesque
- arabesque 1
ar·a·besque
ˌa-rə-ˈbesk
ˌer-ə
1
: an ornament or style that employs flower, foliage, or fruit and sometimes animal and figural outlines to produce an intricate pattern of interlaced lines
2
: a posture (as in ballet) in which the body is bent forward from the hip on one leg with one arm extended forward and the other arm and leg backward
3
: an elaborate or intricate pattern
… richly pierced by an arabesque of wormholes.—John Chase
an arabesque of vines and leaves
: of, relating to, or being in the style of arabesque or an arabesque
arabesque frescoes
Cite this Entry
“Arabesque.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arabesque. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.
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