: 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.
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebThe large colorful triptych painted by sign painter Ben Zion Black in 1910 shows the Ten Commandments with a lion on both sides, the sun beaming down, and columns and rich curtains at the borders. Lisa Rathke, BostonGlobe.com, 19 Aug. 2022 The plaque is part of a triptych at the entrance to Bartlett Hall, West Point's science center, according to the commission. Elisha Fieldstadt, NBC News, 31 Aug. 2022 Last week, a rare triptych and sculpture by Basquiat were mysteriously pulled from sale at the last minute by Christie’s, which said both the seller and the auction house believed the market was not ready. Carlie Porterfield, Forbes, 19 May 2022 Almost 10 years ago in 2013, another triptych of Lucien Freud from 1969 sold for $142 million in just six minutes and grabbed the title of most expensive artwork ever sold at auction. Leah Dolan, CNN, 15 June 2022 The monumental triptych and the sculpture are expected to fetch $30 million and between $4 million and $6 million, respectively. Natasha Gural, Forbes, 30 Apr. 2022 This triptych of novels published as one volume wears the genre of detective fiction like a shabby coat, trying it on, flipping it inside out and turning the pockets loose for spare change. Alice Mcdermott, New York Times, 22 June 2022 Orion Amphitheater announced its presence with authority, this past weekend with an opening triptych of concerts, dubbed The First Waltz. Matt Wake | Mwake@al.com, al, 16 May 2022 Razak showed me a triptych of photos from a research study that included sites in Indonesia’s Komodo National Park, all taken five years after divers had assembled rock piles on the sea floor to create new reef habitat. Rowan Moore Gerety, Wired, 5 Apr. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Greek triptychos having three folds, from tri- + ptychē fold