The word arabesque originally indicated a decorative pattern in Arab style found in painting or architecture. Its most common use in music has been as a descriptive title of short decorative piano pieces of the 19th or early 20th century. There are two well-known arabesques by the French composer Debussy.

1610s, "Moorish or Arabic ornamental design," from French arabesque (16c.), from Italian arabesco, from Arabo "Arab," with reference to Moorish architecture. As a ballet pose, firs [..]

An ornament or an embellished composition. The term is taken from the Arabic art and architecture which was very ornate. This term is used for various kinds of melodic, contrapuntal, or harmonic ornam [..]

(n) an ornament that interlaces simulated foliage in an intricate design(n) position in which the dancer has one leg raised behind and arms outstretched in a conventional pose

a light and graceful piece with florid ornamentation in the melody.

A florid melodic section (the real meaning is a florid element in Arabian architecture). Generally used for characteristic pieces of a more or less casual type.

A short piece of music featuring various melodic, contrapuntal or harmonic decorations.

a short piece of music featuring various melodic, contrapuntal, or harmonic decorations. bagatelle:

A style of ornamentation either painted, inlaid, or carved in low relief. It consists of a pattern in which plants, fruits, foliage, etc, as well as figures of men and animals, real or imaginary, are fantastically interlaced or put together. It was employed in Roman imperial ornamentation, and appeared, without the animal figures, in Moorish and Ar [..]

Linear decoration, it has interlaced lines often with botanic or fruit motifs. It was popular among the ancient Greeks and Romans. Source: Ralph Mayer, "A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques&q [..]

Linear decoration that is interlacing and carved or painted on panels. Subjects are botanic, animal and human figures.

One of the main decorative elements in Islamic art. It is basically a scroll of leaf and stems where the intertwining elements create an interlacing geometric system. This vegetal scroll appears to wh [..]

an Islamic decoration employing abstract intertwining vine, leaf, and plant motifs.

An arabesque is a style of ornament made up of interlaced lines, and usually containing leaf, fruit, and/or flower elements interspersed in the design. Many arabesques are curvilinear and elegantly fl [..]

An ornamentation consisting of an interlacing design of foliage, usually designed for a vertical panel, with the sides resembling each other.

The discouragement of the depiction of living forms in Islam probably led to the development of an art that made use of the most complex patterns. These can be derived from pure geometry or from calli [..]

An elaborate design of intertwined floral figures or complex geometrical patterns. This ornamental design is mainly used in Islamic Art and architecture. * Chmbrs YngrSt|V *: The house of Ruthven [..]