arabesque
/ˌæɹ.əˈbɛsk/noun, verb
arabesque is spelled A-R-A-B-E-S-Q-U-E: 9 letters. It appears about once in every 5 million words in written English, the 65,114th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, arabesque means “An elaborate design of intertwined floral figures or complex geometrical patterns, mainly used in Islamic art and architecture” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of arabesque is arabesques.
How many letters and syllables are in arabesque?
| Letters | 9: A-R-A-B-E-S-Q-U-E |
|---|---|
| In writing | about once in every 5 million words; the 65,114th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is arabesque?
Arabesque appears about once in every 5 million words in written English, the 65,114th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce arabesque?
- /ˌæɹ.əˈbɛsk/
- /ˌɛɹ.əˈbɛsk/
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vininn126-arabesque.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of arabesque
- arabesques plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- arabesquing participle, present
- arabesqued participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does arabesque mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
An elaborate design of intertwined floral figures or complex geometrical patterns, mainly used in Islamic art and architecture.
- 2
An ornate composition, especially for the piano.
- 3
A dance position in which the dancer stands on one leg, with the other raised backwards, and the arms outstretched.
- 4
Elaborate or ornate creations in general.
verb
- 1
To move in an arabesque motion.
- 2
To decorate with an arabesque pattern.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Arabesque in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense ornamental design used in Islamic Art:
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does arabesque come from?
Borrowed from French arabesque, from Italian arabesco, from arabo (“Arab”). By surface analysis, Arab + -esque.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).