Polyptychs

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A style of painting that features multiple panels, often depicting interconnected scenes
2. A complex artistic work composed of several segments meant to be viewed together
3. A type of artwork typically divided into panels that collectively tell a story or explore a theme

Etymology: "Polyptychs" is the plural of "polyptych," a noun for a multi-panel painted artwork. The inflected form takes its meaning from the singular, so the history below belongs to "polyptych" itself. The word comes from Ancient Greek "polúptukhos," meaning "with many folds." It combines "polús," "many," with "ptukhḗ," "a fold." The fold is the key image: a set of hinged panels, folded together like a book or a screen, is exactly what the Greek compound describes. Early Christian writers used the Greek word for folded writing tablets and writing sets, which share the same folding principle as the painted panels that later took the name.