adj C2 Proficient Uncommon

Baroque

buh-ROK

Baroque (adj) means Extravagantly ornate and detailed, especially in art, architecture, or music. Example: “The cathedral's baroque interior was covered in gold leaf and elaborate carvings.”

adj

Extravagantly ornate and detailed, especially in art, architecture, or music.

"The cathedral's baroque interior was covered in gold leaf and elaborate carvings."

"Critics called the script overly baroque, weighed down with needless subplots."

name

The European artistic period (roughly 1600-1750) known for its dramatic, richly decorated style.

"Bach and Vivaldi are among the best-known composers of the Baroque."

How to use Baroque

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishHeavily decorated and dramatic — first a European art era, now also used loosely for anything overly ornate or complicated.

Memory tip

Capitalize it (Baroque) when naming the historical art/music period; lowercase (baroque) when just describing something as overly elaborate.

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Common pairings

baroque architecture baroque music a baroque plot

Word forms

more Baroque comparative, baroquer comparative, baroques plural, most Baroque superlative, baroquest superlative

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The cathedral's _____ interior was covered in gold leaf and elaborate carvings.

Etymology

From French baroque, originally describing an irregularly shaped pearl, likely from Portuguese barroco. Over time it came to describe the ornate, dramatic art style of the 1600s and 1700s, and eventually anything excessively elaborate.

Origin: French · First attested 1600

Class of 1600 Baroque joined the language around 1600.

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Rhymes for Baroque

rue due sue cue hue blue true flue clue glue imbue pique

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Frequently asked questions

What does “Baroque” mean?

The word “Baroque” means extravagantly ornate and detailed, especially in art, architecture, or music. In plain terms, heavily decorated and dramatic — first a European art era, now also used loosely for anything overly ornate or complicated.

How do you pronounce “Baroque”?

“Baroque” is pronounced buh-ROK (/bəˈɹoʊk/ in IPA).

How do you use “Baroque” in a sentence?

Here is “Baroque” used in a sentence: “The cathedral's baroque interior was covered in gold leaf and elaborate carvings.”

What part of speech is “Baroque”?

Depending on how it is used, “Baroque” can be an adjective and a name.

Where does the word “Baroque” come from?

The word “Baroque” dates back to around 1600 and comes from French.

Is “Baroque” a common word?

“Baroque” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C2 level.

How many meanings does “Baroque” have?

“Baroque” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: extravagantly ornate and detailed, especially in art, architecture, or music.

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Vocabulary lists that include Baroque:

Words with French origins