triptych

noun

trip·tych ˈtrip-(ˌ)tik

Synonyms of triptych next

: a picture (such as an altarpiece) or carving in three panels side by side

: something composed or presented in three parts or sections

especially : trilogy

: an ancient Roman writing tablet with three waxed leaves hinged together

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Triptych Has Greek Roots

A painted or carved triptych typically has three hinged panels, and the two outer panels can be folded in towards the central one. A literary or musical triptych generally consists of three closely related or contrasting themes or parts. Triptych derives from the Greek triptychos ("having three folds"), formed by combining tri- ("three") and ptychē ("fold" or "layer"). Although triptych originally described a specific type of Roman writing tablet that had three hinged sections, it is not surprising that the idea was generalized first to a type of painting, and then to anything composed of three parts.

Examples of triptych in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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The wildly successful Marvel series from Sony comprises a triptych of strangely appealing comic book movies featuring Tom Hardy’s take on journalist Eddie Brock and his sassy symbiote sidekick, Venom (whom Hardy also voices). —

Katie Walsh, Chicago Tribune, 24 Oct. 2024 In Megan’s version, a triptych of the rapper is seen with Boa’s half-bob, half-long haircut while a snake poses in the foreground. —

Zoe Guy, Vulture, 28 June 2024 When it was shown in 2022 in the artist’s first New York gallery show, the large-scale text-laden triptych got a shout out in the New Yorker, earning Parris a comparison to Joan Mitchell. —

Angelica Villa, ARTnews.com, 4 Oct. 2024 Rankin won the Directors’ Fortnight Audience Award at Cannes for his absurdist triptych comedy that riffs on Wes Anderson while homaging Abbas Kiarostami. —

Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for triptych