repoussoir

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/ɹəpuˈswɑɹ/

noun

The use of an object such as a curtain extremely close up to the picture plane in a painting. This originates from Baroque paintings and is used to create depth

OriginFrench repoussoir →
Scrabble 12
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Meanings

nounrepoussoir (plural repoussoirs)

plural repoussoirs

  1. artThe use of an object such as a curtain extremely close up to the picture plane in a painting. This originates from Baroque paintings and is used to create depth

Origin

  1. Frenchrepoussoir
  2. Frenchrepoussoir
  3. Englishrepoussoir

Borrowed from French repoussoir.

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

repoussoir. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/repoussoir

MLA

“repoussoir.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/repoussoir. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “repoussoir,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/repoussoir.

Source: repoussoir on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.