Definition of "épergne" [epergne]

• A large table centerpiece consisting of a frame with extended arms or branches supporting holders, as for flowers, fruit, or sweetmeats. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The epergne was a beautiful thing of crystal and gold, a celebrated work of art, regarded as an exquisite possession."
• ""An epergne," Evans said, smiling at the extravagance of it."
• "Other times, it is merely the exact word for a thing that sticks in the mind: instead of using the word “centerpiece,” one might say “epergne.”"