plural tableaux
ˈta-ˌblōz 
ta-ˈblōz
also tableaus
1
: a graphic description or representation : picture
winsome tableaux of old-fashioned literary days—
J. D. Hart
J. D. Hart2
: 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
Behold the aqua tableau All beaches are public in Barbados, offering plenty of options for turquoise-water swims (provided there’s no invasion of sargassum, a seaweed that can clog shorelines in spring or summer).
—Patrick Scott, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
The simple beauty of this tableau leads Emily the ghost to break down sobbing.
—Russell Shaw, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2025
In the eastern sky before sunrise, a stunning tableau of three celestial objects will appear: Jupiter rising below a delicate, 7%-lit waning crescent moon, with Venus above.
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 28 Dec. 2024
No cozy Christmas tableau is complete without a steaming mug of tea.
—Carly Monardo, Bon Appétit, 3 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for tableau
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Patrick Scott, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
The simple beauty of this tableau leads Emily the ghost to break down sobbing.
—Russell Shaw, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2025
In the eastern sky before sunrise, a stunning tableau of three celestial objects will appear: Jupiter rising below a delicate, 7%-lit waning crescent moon, with Venus above.
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 28 Dec. 2024
No cozy Christmas tableau is complete without a steaming mug of tea.
—Carly Monardo, Bon Appétit, 3 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for tableau
Cite this Entry
“Tableau.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tableau. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.
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