surréaliste

surrealist, surrealistic

adjective noun soo-reh-ah-LEEST Rare

Origin: coined by Guillaume Apollinaire, 1917, from sur- (above) + réalisme

Also means

bizarre, absurd

Usage Note

Surréaliste refers to the early 20th-century artistic and literary movement led by André Breton, which sought to unleash the unconscious mind. As an adjective it also describes any situation that feels absurdly dreamlike or impossible to believe: c'est surréaliste! As a noun, un surréaliste is a member of the movement — Dalí and Magritte are the most internationally recognisable.

Examples

"Ce tableau surréaliste dérange et fascine à la fois."

Natural Translation

This surrealist painting disturbs and fascinates at once.

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