tableau vivantEnglishOxford Dictionary of Englishtableau vivant /ˌtabləʊ ˈviːvɒ̃ , tablo vivɑ̃/ ▸ noun (plural tableaux vivants /ˌtabləʊ ˈviːvɒ̃ , tablo vivɑ̃/) a silent and motionless group of people arranged to represent a scene or incident. – ORIGIN French, literally ‘living picture’.