Triptych
/ˈtrɪp.tɪk/noun
A work of art made of three panels or sections, especially one that can be folded.
Did you know?Triptych comes through Greek and Latin from a root meaning “to fold,” which is why it originally described a three-leaved tablet before it became a name for sacred art.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dheub-
“to bend, fold, or hollow out”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ptykhē
“a fold or layer”
Ancient Greek
Greek
triptychos
“threefold; having three folds or leaves”
Late Latin
Latin
triptycha
“three-leaved writing tablet”
Middle French
French
triptyque
“a three-paneled folded work or tablet”
Modern English
English
triptych
“a picture or relief in three connected panels”