An arabesque is a position in ballet dancing. The dancer stands on one leg with their other leg lifted and stretched out backwards, and their arms stretched out in front of them.
2. countable noun
In art, an arabesque is a design of flowing lines.
...a clay water jug decorated with painted arabesques.
arabesque in British English
(ˌærəˈbɛsk)
noun
1. ballet
a classical position in which the dancer has one leg raised behind and both arms stretched out in one of several conventional poses
2. music
a piece or movement with a highly ornamented or decorated melody
3. arts
a.
a type of curvilinear decoration in painting, metalwork, etc, with intricate intertwining leaf, flower, animal, or geometrical designs
b.
a design of flowing lines
adjective
4.
designating, of, or decorated in this style
Word origin
C18: from French, from Italian arabesco in the Arabic style
arabesque in American English
(ˌærəˈbɛsk; ˌ ɛrəˈbsk)
noun
1.
a complex and elaborate decorative design of intertwined lines suggesting flowers, foliage, animals, geometric patterns, etc., used in drawing, painting, low relief, metalwork, etc.
2. Ballet
a position in which one leg is extended straight backward and the arms are extended, usually one forward and one backward
3. Music
a.
a light, whimsical composition with many delicately ornamental passages
b.
any ornamental passage typical of such a composition
adjective
4.
of, done in, or like arabesque; fantastic and elaborate
Word origin
Fr < It arabesco < Arabo, Arab < Ar ʼarab: with reference to the designs in Moorish architecture