horror vacui
Meanings
noun
- The Aristotelian principle that there are no vacuums in nature.
- The abhorrence of a vacuum; the general tendency to dislike empty space.
- In particular, the tendency of an artist (or of art) to fill an entire surface with detail, leaving no blank space.
Pronunciation
Word forms
Etymology
From Latin horror vacuī (“fear of empty space”), from horror (“horror, fear”) + vacuum (“vacuum”).
Related words
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