Meaning & use
objet d'art
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Meanings
nouncountable
A small decorative object of some artistic value, such as a figurine, a vase or an ornament, kept for display.
Grammar: Plural is objets d'art: a shelf of objets d'art.
Patterns
- an objet d'art
- a collection of objets d'art
A small jade elephant sat on the desk as an objet d'art.
Their living room was full of travel souvenirs and one or two genuine objets d'art.
The auction house sold a Victorian clock as an objet d'art.
nouncountablehumorousfigurative
Something not made for practical use but admired mainly for how it looks, sometimes said with gentle irony about a gadget.
Grammar: Used figuratively, often with humor: the espresso machine was more objet d'art than appliance.
Patterns
- more objet d'art than something
The lemon squeezer was more an objet d'art than a kitchen tool.
He treats his old guitar as an objet d'art and never plays it.
The designer lamp is a lovely objet d'art, though it gives very little light.
Word forms
| plural | objets d'art |
|---|
Common combinations
- priceless objet d'art
- The museum insured the priceless objet d'art for millions.
- collect objets d'art
- She collects objets d'art from flea markets across Europe.
- displayed as an objet d'art
- The antique compass was displayed as an objet d'art in the hall.
- a delicate objet d'art
- He wrapped the delicate objet d'art in tissue before the move.
Synonyms and how they differ
- curio
- A curio is a small unusual item valued for being rare or odd, while an objet d'art is valued for its artistry.
- ornament
- Ornament is a plain everyday word for any decoration, so it does not suggest high artistic quality as objet d'art does.
- knick-knack
- A knick-knack is a cheap little decorative item, which makes it much less impressive than an objet d'art.
- bibelot
- Bibelot is a rare, literary term for a small decorative trinket and is less widely understood.
Word family
Commonly confused: objet d'art or artifact?
objet d'art vs artifact
An artifact is a human-made object studied for its history, while an objet d'art is a decorative item valued for its beauty.
Practice
The tiny porcelain bird on the mantelpiece was clearly an ___, not something used for any practical purpose.
Choose one answer.
Objet d'art names a small decorative item kept for its beauty. An artifact would be an object of historical interest, which is a different focus, and appliance and tool describe practical items.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “objet d'art”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.