Word.ws English Dictionary

belle epoque

belle epoque is the alternative spelling of Belle Époque.

Meaning of Belle Époque

Proper noun

the Belle Époque (uncountable)

  1. A period of European history, extending over several decades until the start of the First World War, characterized by artistic and cultural refinement.
    • Among these cultured hostesses, a leading figure in the belle époque was the Comtesse de Greffulhe.1973, Raymond Rudorff, The Belle Époque: Paris in the Nineties, Saturday Review Press, page 240
  2. (broadly) (aesthetic) A style of art and architecture characterized by opulence, eclecticism, and organic dynamism, blending historical revival styles (Neo-Baroque, Neo-Gothic) with the flowing lines of Art Nouveau, utilizing new materials like iron and glass for decorative elements, and celebrating modern life with vibrant colors and natural motifs, reflecting the era's optimism, luxury, and technological progress.

Proper noun capitalized: Belle Epoque

the Belle Epoque

  1. (alternative) Alternative spelling of Belle Époque.

Questions about belle epoque

What is belle epoque the alternative spelling of?
Belle epoque is the alternative spelling of Belle Époque.
What part of speech is belle epoque?
Belle epoque is a proper noun.

Words near belle epoque in the dictionary

  1. belle
  2. Belle Chasse
  3. Belle Creek
  4. belle dame sans merci
  5. Belle de Boskoop
  6. belle epoque
  7. belle esprit
  8. Belle Fontaine
  9. Belle Fourche
  10. Belle Glade
  11. belle indifference

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: belle epoque (page history and authors); Belle Epoque (page history and authors); Belle Époque (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this entry: “belle epoque.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/belle_epoque. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.