Fretwork

/ˈfrɛtwɜrk/ noun

Definition

Decorative openwork made by cutting intricate patterns through material like wood or stone; ornamental interlaced design.

Etymology

Compound of 'fret' (a geometric pattern) + 'work' (something made or crafted); developed as a term for decorative patterns in the 16th-17th centuries during the Gothic and Renaissance periods.

Kelly Says

Fretwork became wildly popular in Victorian interior design—those intricate wooden screens you see in antique shops are literally the 'work' of creating 'fret' patterns, combining geometry with craftsmanship.

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