bas-relief

UK: /ˌbɑːrɪˈliːf/

US: /ˌbɑrɪˈlif, ˌbæs-/

US: (bä′ri lēf′, bas′-; bä′ri lēf′, bas′-)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

bas-re•lief /ˌbɑrɪˈlif, ˌbæs-/   n. 

1. Fine Art [uncountable] sculpture in which the figures stand out slightly from the background.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

bas-re•lief  (bä′ri lēf′, bas′-; bä′ri lēf′, bas′-), n. 

1. Fine Art relief sculpture in which the figures project slightly from the background. Also called low relief. See illus. under relief ².

• French, on the model of Italian bassorilievo. Cf. bassorilievo, base², relief
• 1660–70

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

bas-relief / ˌbɑːrɪˈliːf ˌbæs- ˈbɑːrɪˌliːf ˈbæs-/, bass-relief noun

1. sculpture in low relief, in which the forms project slightly from the background but no part is completely detached from it
   Also called (Italian): basso rilievo

Etymology: 17th Century: from French, from Italian basso rilievo low relief; see base², relief