Waxworks

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A museum or exhibition showcasing life-size figures crafted from wax, often depicting famous people or scenes
2. A type of display featuring sculpted figures made of wax, typically found in tourist attractions and historical exhibitions
3. An establishment where realistic wax replicas are created and displayed, often emulating celebrities, historical figures, or events

Etymology: "Waxworks" is the plural of "waxwork," a compound of "wax" and "work." The sense of a figure modelled in wax is older than the sense of a place where such figures are shown, and the plural form took on the second meaning as exhibitions of wax likenesses grew popular. The word therefore names both the craft and the collection built from it. The "wax" half traces back to Old English "weax," the substance made by bees, while "work" comes from Old English "weorc," meaning something made or done. Put together, a waxwork is simply a thing made from wax, and the compound follows the same pattern as older English pairings like "ironwork" and "woodwork."

Synonyms: figures, statues, models, dolls, representations