Standard Lemma guide

polyptych

noun · 1 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈpɒlɪptɪk/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A work consisting of multiple painted or carved panels joined together, often with hinges.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: art, arts

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: panel painting

History

Etymology

From Ancient Greek πολύπτυχος (polúptukhos, “with many folds”), from πολύς (polús, “many”) + πτυχή (ptukhḗ, “a fold”).

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Breton: liestaolenn — a work consisting of multiple painted or carved panels joined together
  • Catalan: políptic — a work consisting of multiple painted or carved panels joined together
  • Esperanto: poliptiko — a work consisting of multiple painted or carved panels joined together
  • Finnish: polyptyykki — a work consisting of multiple painted or carved panels joined together
  • French: polyptyque — a work consisting of multiple painted or carved panels joined together
  • German: Polyptychon — a work consisting of multiple painted or carved panels joined together
  • Irish: poiliptic — a work consisting of multiple painted or carved panels joined together
  • Italian: polittico — a work consisting of multiple painted or carved panels joined together
  • Lombard: politich — a work consisting of multiple painted or carved panels joined together
  • Macedonian: полиптих (poliptih) — a work consisting of multiple painted or carved panels joined together
  • Māori: kāhui takitini — a work consisting of multiple painted or carved panels joined together
  • Polish: poliptyk — a work consisting of multiple painted or carved panels joined together
  • Portuguese: políptico — a work consisting of multiple painted or carved panels joined together
  • Romanian: poliptic — a work consisting of multiple painted or carved panels joined together
  • Russian: полиптих (poliptix) — a work consisting of multiple painted or carved panels joined together
  • Spanish: políptico — a work consisting of multiple painted or carved panels joined together
  • Swedish: polyptyk — a work consisting of multiple painted or carved panels joined together