cabriole

[ kab-ree-ohl; French ka-bree-awl ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, plural cab·ri·oles [kab, -ree-ohlz, k, a, -b, r, ee-, awl].

Furniture. a curved, tapering leg curving outward at the top and inward farther down so as to end in a round pad, the semblance of an animal's paw, or some other feature: used especially in the first half of the 18th century.
Ballet. a leap in which one leg is raised in the air and the other is brought up to beat against it.

cabriole

/ ˈkæbrɪˌəʊl /

noun

Also calledcabriole leg a type of furniture leg, popular in the first half of the 18th century, in which an upper convex curve descends tapering to a concave curve
ballet a leap in the air with one leg outstretched and the other beating against it

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Word History and Origins

Origin of cabriole¹

1775–85; < French: leap, caper; so called because modeled on leg of a capering animal ( capriole ); b by influence of cabri kid (≪ Old Provençal ) and kindred words

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Word History and Origins

Origin of cabriole¹

C18: from French, from cabrioler to caper; from its being based on the leg of a capering animal; see cabriolet

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Example Sentences

I remember,” replies the other; “for at that moment I gave six thousand francs a month to little Cabriole of the Varieties.

From Project Gutenberg

The next morning Cabriole woke up his master who dressed himself and went to take a walk.

From Project Gutenberg

Cabriole ran to his master to tell him the news, when Avenant bid him go and remind the queen of the poor prisoner.

From Project Gutenberg

But now, as soon as the horses arrived, I hurried into a cabriole, and bade farewell to my friend.

From Project Gutenberg

He early used the ogee curve and cabriole leg, the knees of which he carved with cartouches and leaves or other designs.

From Project Gutenberg

cabrio cabriolet

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