First Known Use: 1889
Dictionary
trompe l'oeil
noun, often attributive \(ˌ)trȯmp-ˈlə-ē, trōⁿp-ˈlœi\
: a style of painting in which things are painted in a way that makes them look like real objects
Full Definition of TROMPE L'OEIL
1
: a style of painting in which objects are depicted with photographically realistic detail; also : the use of similar technique in interior decorating
2
: a trompe l'oeil painting or effect
3
: something that misleads or deceives the senses : illusion
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Origin of TROMPE L'OEIL
French trompe-l'œil, literally, deceives the eye
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