Rococo - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

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SKIP TO CONTENT rococo /rəˈkoʊkoʊ/ /rəˈkʌʊkəʊ/ IPA guide

Other forms: rococos

Rococo describes a very ornate style originating in Europe. If you love tons of decoration and fancy details, then you'll love the rococo style of architecture and music.

Modern design is all simplicity: clean lines and no clutter. Rococo design — which came and went in Europe in the 1700s — is the opposite: it explodes with detail, ornament, patterns, and decoration. If something other than an actual work of design or music is described as rococo, it means wildly detailed, to the point of excess. They sat me next to Diana, who told me the whole rococo story of her European vacation. An hour had passed before she even got to the part about getting on the plane.

Definitions of rococo

adjective having excessive asymmetrical ornamentation “an exquisite gilded rococo mirror” synonyms: fancy not plain; decorative or ornamented
noun fanciful but graceful asymmetric ornamentation in art and architecture that originated in France in the 18th century see moresee less type of: artistic style, idiom the style of a particular artist or school or movement

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