festoon

(fĕ-stūn')

1. A string or garland, as of leaves or flowers, suspended in a loop or curve between two points.
2. A representation of such a string or garland, as in painting or sculpture.

1. To decorate with or as if with festoons; hang festoons on.
2. To form or make into festoons.

[French feston, from Italian festone, from festa, feast, from Vulgar Latin *fēsta. See feast.]

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A festive decoration of pendant semi-loops with attachments and loose ends, esp. a swag of fabric, or representations of such decorations. Also see garland.

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A dermal papilla denuded of epithelial cells protruding into a vesicle or bulla. Seen in bullous pemphigoid and drug eruptions.

A carving in the base material of a denture that simulates the contours of the natural tissues being replaced by the denture.

• Ornaments - festoon: wreath or garland hanging in loop

For the festoon in geology and geography, see island arc.

Festoon (by Carlo Crivelli)

Festoon from the Hammond-Harwood House

Festoon (from French feston, Italian festone, from a Late Latin festo, originally a festal garland, Latin festum, feast), a wreath or garland, and so in architecture a conventional arrangement of flowers, foliage or fruit bound together and suspended by ribbons, either from a decorated knot, or held in the mouths of lions, or suspended across the back of bulls heads as in the Temple of Vesta at Tivoli. The motif is sometimes known as a swag when depicting fabric or linen.

The design was largely employed both by the Ancient Greeks and Romans and formed the principal decoration of altars, friezes and panels. The ends of the ribbons are sometimes formed into bows or twisted curves; when in addition a group of foliage or flowers is suspended, it is called a drop or margent.

Its origin is probably due to the representation in stone of the garlands of natural flowers, etc., which were hung up over an entrance doorway on fête days, or suspended round the altar.

The motif was later used in neo-classical architecture and decorative arts, especially ceramics and the work of silversmiths.

References

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (July 2010)

• Lewis, Philippa; G. Darley (1986). Dictionary of Ornament. New York: Pantheon. ISBN 0-394-50931-5. 
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

External links

Look up festoon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - guirlande, feston
v. tr. - smykke med guirlander

Nederlands (Dutch)
versieren, er slingers van maken, slingers ophangen, guirlande, slinger

Français (French)
n. - feston, guirlande
v. tr. - orner de

Deutsch (German)
v. - schmücken
n. - Girlande

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - στολίζω με γιρλάντες ή φεστόνια
n. - (διακοσμητική) γιρλάντα, κρεμαστό διακοσμητικό στοιχείο, φεστόνι

Italiano (Italian)
ornare con festoni, decorare, ghirlanda, festone

Português (Portuguese)
v. - decorar com grinalda (f)
n. - espécie de grinalda (f) com flores (f) e folhas (f)

Русский (Russian)
украшать гирляндами, гирлянда

Español (Spanish)
n. - festón, guirnalda
v. tr. - adornar, engalanar

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - smycka med
n. - girland

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
花彩, 以花彩装饰

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 花彩
v. tr. - 以花彩裝飾

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 꽃줄
v. tr. - 꽃줄로 장식하다, ~을 꽃줄로 만들다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 花綱
v. - 花綱で飾る, 花綱にする

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يزين باستخدام حبل زينه (الاسم) حبل زينه من زهور أو غيرها‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮שרשרת-קישוט‬
v. tr. - ‮קישט (חדר) בשרשראות‬

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