marquetry

noun

mar·​que·​try ˈmär-kə-trē How to pronounce marquetry (audio)
variants or less commonly marqueterie
: decorative work in which elaborate patterns are formed by the insertion of pieces of material (such as wood, shell, or ivory) into a wood veneer that is then applied to a surface (as of a piece of furniture)

Illustration of marquetry

Illustration of marquetry
  • M marquetry

Examples of marquetry in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Even the elevator’s interior is clad in custom marquetry. Busola Evans, Architectural Digest, 9 Dec. 2024 Not to be missed is the insane marquetry painting of Alison Elizabeth Taylor, in which different types of wood are arranged to look almost seamless. Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2024 In the kitchen, the designer even recreated the original marquetry wood floor, though there were also structural reasons for ripping up and replacing the parquet. Laura May Todd, Architectural Digest, 1 Nov. 2024 They are placed on the dial in an irregular pattern meant to represent formation of the Giant’s Causeway using marquetry, an artisan inlay technique. Anthony Demarco, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for marquetry 

Word History

Etymology

Middle French marqueterie, from marqueter to checker, inlay, from marque mark

First Known Use

1563, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of marquetry was in 1563

Dictionary Entries Near marquetry

Cite this Entry

“Marquetry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marquetry. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.

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