Triptych

WORD OF THE DAY


triptych \ TRIP-tik \ noun


Definition
1 : an ancient Roman writing tablet with three waxed leaves hinged together
2a : a picture (such as an altarpiece) or carving in three panels side by side
2b : something composed or presented in three parts or sections; especially : trilogy


Examples
The panels of the triptych illustrated the three theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity.


"'Certain Women,' her latest film and arguably the most precise expression of [Kelly] Reichardt's vision to date, is a triptych based on three short stories by the Montana-raised author Maile Meloy."
— Alice Gregory, The New York Times, 16 Oct. 2016


Did You Know?
A painted or carved triptych typically has three hinged panels, and the two outer panels can be folded in towards the central one. A literary or musical triptych generally consists of three closely related or contrasting themes or parts. Triptych derives from the Greek triptychos ("having three folds"), formed by combining tri- ("three") and ptychē ("fold" or "layer").
Although triptych originally described a specific type of Roman writing tablet that had three hinged sections, it is not surprising that the idea was generalized first to a type of painting, and then to anything composed of three parts.