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Noun: mannerism  'ma-nu,ri-zum
  1. A behavioral attribute that is distinctive and peculiar to an individual
    - idiosyncrasy, foible
     
  2. A deliberate pretence or exaggerated display
    - affectation, pose, affectedness
Noun: Mannerism
  1. An art style in late 16th century Europe characterized by spatial incongruity and excessive elongation of the human figures.
    "Mannerism favours compositional tension and instability rather than the balance and clarity of earlier Renaissance painting."

Derived forms: mannerisms

Type of: artistic style, distinctiveness, feigning, idiom, peculiarity, pretence [Brit, Cdn], pretending, pretense [N. Amer], simulation, speciality [Brit, Cdn], specialness, specialty [N. Amer]

Encyclopedia: Mannerism