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tableau

noun

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tab·leau | \ ˈta-ˌblō

, ta-ˈblō

plural tableaux\ ˈta-ˌblōz

, ta-ˈblōz \ also tableaus

Definition of tableau

1 : a graphic description or representation : picture winsome tableaux of old-fashioned literary days— J. D. Hart

2 : a striking or artistic grouping : arrangement, scene

3 [short for tableau vivant (from French, literally, living picture)] : a depiction of a scene usually presented on a stage by silent and motionless costumed participants

Examples of tableau in a Sentence

The houses are grouped together in a charming tableau.

Recent Examples on the Web Before the opening’s evocative tableau, a listless Hutch lives with his family of four in a gray suburban enclave. — Robert Daniels, Los Angeles Times, "Review: In ‘Nobody,’ Bob Odenkirk transforms into an action star. It suits him," 25 Mar. 2021 In the wake of a year that forced us to become acquainted with our interiors more intimately than ever before, an exhibition that sees domestic space as a rarefied tableau could be a risky, if not alienating, proposition. — Sean Santiago, ELLE Decor, "In New York, an Art Deco Landmark Hosts an Adventurous Show of Art and Furniture," 19 Feb. 2021 In New York, a strikingly different tableau was playing out on Fifth Avenue outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art. — New York Times, "Is Seeing That Renoir Essential? In the Pandemic, Cities Differ," 2 Feb. 2021 The visual flair of its cosmic tableau continues to captivate public imagination, even as its elusive significance and the crimes that led to its excavation imbue the relic with tantalizing mystery. — New York Times, "A Bitter Archaeological Feud Over an Ancient Vision of the Cosmos," 19 Jan. 2021 There was widespread mask-wearing and far fewer lawmakers and guests in the chamber than usual, an unimaginable tableau when the last Congress commenced two years ago, before the pandemic struck. — Alan Fram, BostonGlobe.com, "Pelosi narrowly reelected speaker, faces difficult 2021," 3 Jan. 2021 There was widespread mask-wearing and far fewer lawmakers and guests in the chamber than usual, an unimaginable tableau when the last Congress commenced two years ago, before the pandemic struck. — Alan Fram, Anchorage Daily News, "Pelosi narrowly reelected speaker, faces difficult 2021," 3 Jan. 2021 The tableau also features Lola Van Ella, Woody Shticks, drag performer Laveau Contraire, Jason Mejias, Candy Snatch and others. — Will Coviello, NOLA.com, "Upcoming New Orleans holiday shows and attractions," 14 Dec. 2020 Just a few miles from where Wall Street fat cats prowl, a different Thanksgiving tableau played out in Brooklyn. — CNN, "Investors give thanks, but Americans are going hungry," 25 Nov. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tableau.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

30 Mar 2021

Cite this Entry

“Tableau.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tableau. Accessed 10 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for tableau

tableau

noun

English Language Learners Definition of tableau

: a view or sight that looks like a picture

: a scene that typically shows an event in history or literature and that is created on a stage by a group of people who are dressed in costumes and who do not speak or move

See the full definition for tableau in the English Language Learners Dictionary

tableau

noun

tab·leau | \ ˈta-ˌblō

plural tableaux also tableaus\ -ˌlōz \