Definition: a type of case furniture, usually a low desk, that has a slant top; when open, this sloping lid forms a surface for writing or reading (the name derives from the French word "écrire", meaning "to write"); developed in the early 18th century, the escritoire grew out of - and the term can still apply to - a writing box or small cabinet with a drop-front and drawers or shelves that dates from the Middle Ages, probably from Spain
Pronunciation: ess-cre-twair
Also Known As: escritorio (Spanish), slant-top desk, fall-front desk (English)
Example: The escritoire is another example of the specialized forms of furniture that developed throughout the 1700s in Europe.