Surrealism is a style in art and literature in which ideas, images, and objects are combined in a strange way, like in a dream.
His early work was influenced by the European surrealism of the 1930's.
surrealism in British English
(səˈrɪəˌlɪzəm)
noun
(sometimes capital)
a movement in art and literature in the 1920s, which developed esp from dada, characterized by the evocative juxtaposition of incongruous images in order to include unconscious and dream elements
Derived forms
surrealist (surˈrealist)
noun, adjective
surrealistic (surˌrealˈistic)
adjective
surrealistically (surˌrealˈistically)
adverb
Word origin
C20: from French surréalisme, from sur-1 + réalismerealism
surrealism in American English
(sərˈriəlˌɪzəm)
noun
a modern movement in art and literature, in which an attempt is made to portray or interpret the workings of the unconscious mind as manifested in dreams: it is characterized by an irrational, fantastic arrangement of material
Derived forms
surrealistic (surˌrealˈistic)
adjective
surrealist (surˈrealist)
adjective, noun
surrealistically (surˌrealˈistically)
adverb
Word origin
Fr surréalisme: see sur-1 & realism
Examples of 'surrealism' in a sentence
surrealism
Not caring becomes an hour of expert comedy surrealism.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
He was particularly fond of surrealism.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They are not inspired by surrealism or any great desire to subvert, but by some old Japanese posters.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
My father loved art, surrealism in particular, and often said he wished he could have been a painter.