I. (ˈ)bōˈzär, -ˈzȧ(r noun plural
Etymology: French beaux-arts
: fine arts
II. adjective
1. architecture : characterized by formalism, the reapplication of historic forms and details, and a tendency toward monumental conception
a beaux arts design
2. : relating to a method of architectural education especially prominent in the 19th century in which hypothetical problems are solved by individual students working in an atelier under a master critic and the solutions are judged by a jury of architects that rates them on a competitive basis