Phrase guide

objet d'art

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˌɒbʒeɪ ˈdɑː(ɹ)/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A work of art with some artistic merit.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: art object

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An artwork exhibited for the purposes of decoration or the reflection of social status.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a work of art of some artistic value

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • this store sells only objets d'art
  • it is not known who created this piece

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: art object, piece

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: work of art

Narrower terms: virtu

History

Etymology

Borrowed from French objet (“object”) and d'art (“of art”).

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: kunstwerk — work of art
  • Dutch: kunstvoorwerp — work of art
  • Finnish: taide-esine — work of art
  • French: objet d'art — work of art
  • Irish: séad — work of art
  • Italian: oggettino — work of art
  • Polish: dzieło sztuki — work of art
  • Russian: произведе́ние иску́сства (proizvedénije iskússtva) — work of art
  • Russian: арт-объе́кт (art-obʺjékt) — work of art
  • German: Kunstobjekt — work of art
  • Spanish: objet d'art — work of art
  • Finnish: taide-esine — artwork exhibited
  • Japanese: オブジェ (obuje) — artwork exhibited
  • Polish: dzieło sztuki — artwork exhibited