noun
cameo
A small raised carving, often a portrait on jewelry.
A pale profile rises above the darker background of the cameo.
Etymology
Italian cammeo named a carved gemstone. English keeps that craft connection for a design cut in relief, often using contrasting layers of material to make a portrait stand out.
More examples
- She pinned the antique cameo to her collar.
- The jeweler carved a cameo from layered shell.
- Several tiny cameos decorated the bracelet.
Forms
cameo · cameos
Similar words
- engraving
- Often cuts a design into a surface, while a cameo's design stands in relief.