pointillistic
adjective
poin·til·lis·tic ˌpȯin-tə-ˈli-stik 
ˌpwaⁿ(n)-tē-ˈyi-stik
ˌpwaⁿ(n)-tē-ˈyi-stik variants or less commonly pointillist
ˈpȯin-tə-list ˌpwaⁿ(n)-tē-ˈyēst
ˌpwaⁿ(n)-tē-ˈyēst 1
: composed of many discrete details or parts
2
: of, relating to, or characteristic of pointillism or pointillists
Did you know?
In the late 19th century, Neo-Impressionists discovered that contrasting dots of color applied side by side would blend together and be perceived as a luminous whole when seen from a distance. With this knowledge, they developed the technique of pointillism, also known as divisionism. By the 1920s, the adjective pointillistic was being used as a word describing something having many details or parts, such as an argument or musical composition; it was then applied to the art of pointillism and its artists, the pointillists.
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web With his pointillistic vision of microhistory, of an overwhelming profusion of details, Jancsó radically decontextualized historical events and turned them into abstract symbols. 
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2022 His meta-narrative is not a pointillistic patchwork but a seamless tapestry. Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2021 The piece then breaks into a pointillistic texture, with pluckings all around. Tim Diovanni, Dallas News, 27 Apr. 2021 Use a power drill with varying sizes of bits to create an elegantly pointillistic design on your pumpkin…. Beth Segal, cleveland, 15 Oct. 2020 Printed on the front of certain legitimate N95 masks is a logo of sorts: a figure surrounded by a cloud of air particles, represented by tiny, pointillistic dots. Anna Russell, The New Yorker, 7 May 2020 Webber takes pointillistic dabs and flickers, volleys between trombone and piano, say, and conjures a solid rhythmic and melodic substance out of what at first sounds totally slippery and liquid. John Adamian, courant.com, 17 Nov. 2019 Her approach, with a major policy released seemingly every other day, is pointillistic; her various plans—from breaking up big tech to re-energizing domestic manufacturing—creating a cutting critique of the status quo. Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 10 June 2019 Her pieces were pointillistic and dizzying, defining odd meters and adding and subtracting notes to make the patterns endlessly flex and realign. Jon Pareles, New York Times, 21 May 2018 See More
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2022 His meta-narrative is not a pointillistic patchwork but a seamless tapestry. Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2021 The piece then breaks into a pointillistic texture, with pluckings all around. Tim Diovanni, Dallas News, 27 Apr. 2021 Use a power drill with varying sizes of bits to create an elegantly pointillistic design on your pumpkin…. Beth Segal, cleveland, 15 Oct. 2020 Printed on the front of certain legitimate N95 masks is a logo of sorts: a figure surrounded by a cloud of air particles, represented by tiny, pointillistic dots. Anna Russell, The New Yorker, 7 May 2020 Webber takes pointillistic dabs and flickers, volleys between trombone and piano, say, and conjures a solid rhythmic and melodic substance out of what at first sounds totally slippery and liquid. John Adamian, courant.com, 17 Nov. 2019 Her approach, with a major policy released seemingly every other day, is pointillistic; her various plans—from breaking up big tech to re-energizing domestic manufacturing—creating a cutting critique of the status quo. Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 10 June 2019 Her pieces were pointillistic and dizzying, defining odd meters and adding and subtracting notes to make the patterns endlessly flex and realign. Jon Pareles, New York Times, 21 May 2018 See More Word History
First Known Use
1922, in the meaning defined at sense 1
- Capitol Hill
- Capitol Reef National Park
- Capitoline
- capitols
- Capitonidae
- capitonidaes
- Capitophorus
- capitula
- capitulant
- capitulants
- capitular
- capitularies
- capitulars
- capitulary
- capitulate
- capitulate (to)
- capitulate to
- capitulated
- capitulated (to)
- capitulated to
- capitulates
- capitulates (to)
- capitulates to
- capitulating
- capitulating (to)