polychrome
polychrome — adjective
- polychromepositive
- more polychromecomparative
- most polychromesuperlative
1. used for describing objects, buildings, or works of art that are decorated or ma
used for describing objects, buildings, or works of art that are decorated or made in several colours
The archaeologists uncovered a polychrome mosaic floor with blue, gold, and red tiles.
polychrome + mosaic — describing ancient decorated artwork
During restoration, workers found polychrome paint layers hidden beneath the grey plaster.
The museum's collection includes several polychrome wooden statues from the Ming dynasty.
Valentina admired the polychrome ceiling of the cathedral, which told stories from the Bible.
Unlike the plain stone walls outside, the temple interior was richly polychrome.
- multicoloured
everyday equivalent, less formal and more common for ordinary objects
- colourful
broader meaning — can refer to vividness or brightness, not just the number of colours
- variegated
describes irregular patches or streaks of different colours, common for plants and marble
- monochrome
same formal register, opposite meaning — having only one colour or shades of one colour
文法句型
polychrome + noun
be + polychrome
用法筆記
Primarily attributive (placed before a noun) in formal art-historical contexts. Less common than the everyday word 'multicoloured' in general use.
polychrome — noun
- polychromesingular
- polychromesplural
1. a painting, sculpture, photograph, or similar item that combines several colours
a painting, sculpture, photograph, or similar item that combines several colours in its design
The gallery displayed a nineteenth-century polychrome of a village market in bright colours.
a + [era] + polychrome + of + [subject] — typical noun pattern
Piotr bought a small polychrome at the antique shop for his living room wall.
This polychrome from the 1920s shows dancers in colourful dresses at a carnival.
The exhibition features polychromes by artists who worked in Mexico during the 1930s.
Tara's favourite piece is a polychrome of a garden with tulips and green hedges.
- colourful artwork
less technical, avoids the specialised term
- multicoloured piece
everyday language, less precise in art-historical contexts
文法句型
a + [era] + polychrome + of + [subject]
possessive + polychrome
用法筆記
Countable noun. Frequently modified by a time period or art movement (e.g., 'a 19th-century polychrome', 'a Renaissance polychrome') or followed by 'of + subject matter'.
2. the general approach of making artworks or decorative objects with several diffe
the general approach of making artworks or decorative objects with several different colours
The art students learned about polychrome from studying ancient Greek statues.
learned about + polychrome — uncountable noun use
Polychrome was common in Japanese woodblock prints of the Edo period.
polychrome + was common in [era/region]
The textbook explains how polychrome developed in European cathedral decoration.
Élise's essay compares the use of polychrome in Indian textiles and Persian carpets.
Better paint chemistry made polychrome more affordable for ordinary households in the 1800s.
- colouration
broader meaning — any colouring, not specifically multi-colour technique
- colour scheme
different — refers to the planned combination of colours in a particular work, not the general technique
文法句型
polychrome + verb
use of + polychrome
development of + polychrome
用法筆記
Uncountable noun — refers to the technique or principle rather than an individual object. Often appears after 'use of', 'development of', or in the subject position with a passive or intransitive verb.