baroque en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /bæˈɹɒk/ (UK)
- /bəˈɹoʊk/ (US)
Etymology
Via French baroque (which originally meant a pearl of irregular shape), from Portuguese barroco (“irregular pearl”); related to Spanish barrueco and Italian barocco, of uncertain ultimate origin, but possibly from Latin verrūca (“wart”). It has been suggested that the term derives from Baroco, a technical term from scholastic logic.
Meanings
- Ornate, intricate, decorated, laden with detail.
- Complex and beautiful, despite an outward irregularity.
- Chiseled from stone, or shaped from wood, in a garish, crooked, twisted, or slanted sort of way, grotesque.
- Embellished with figures and forms such that every level of relief gives way to more details and contrasts.
-
(capitalized, sometimes) Characteristic of Western art and music of the Early Modern period.
According to baroque.org, characteristics of baroque music include loud and soft dynamics, emphasis on harmony, and the use of string instruments and the harpsichord.
2022 May 2, Mary Beth Bauermann, “Bach-Rock: When Rock Went Baroque”, in Flat Hat Magazine, archived from the original on 09 Jul 2025:
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(figuratively) Overly and needlessly complicated.
grotesquely baroque bureaucratic hassles
baroque bookkeeping in pursuit of tax dodges
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| baroquest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| baroquer | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Deriveds
baroque rock · baroque pitch · baroquely · neo-baroque · barococo · baroquism · baroquey · baroque organ · baroqueness · baroque piety · unbaroque · baroque pop · baroque pearl · earthquake baroque
Translations (18)
da barok (laden with detail) · fi barokkinen (grotesque) · sl baročen (complex and beautiful) · fi koristeellinen (laden with detail) · nb barokk (laden with detail) · pt barroco (laden with detail) · pt barroco (embellished) · ca barroc (laden with detail) · fi barokkinen (embellished) · fi groteski (grotesque) · fi barokkinen (laden with detail) · pt barroco (complex and beautiful) · pl barokowy (embellished) · sl baročen (laden with detail) · nn barokk (laden with detail) · fi barokkinen (complex and beautiful) · it barocco (laden with detail) · sv barock (laden with detail)