encaustic

noun

en·​caus·​tic in-ˈkȯ-stik How to pronounce encaustic (audio)
: a paint made from pigment mixed with melted beeswax and resin and after application fixed by heat
also : the method involving the use of encaustic or a work produced by this method
encaustic adjective

Examples of encaustic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The free exhibit runs through Nov. 5 and features 30 pieces of art, including pottery, paintings, glass, encaustic, gourds, wood, and fiber by members of the San Dieguito Art Guild’s Board of Directors. San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Oct. 2019 Teetering on the edge of abstraction is an evocative William Christenberry encaustic that can be read as pure form or as a distilled landscape. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 9 Aug. 2019 Themes of light, darkness, expansion and contraction run through this group show, which features artists working in various mediums: painting, sculpture, printmaking, wood carving, encaustic and more. Amy Wang | The Oregonian/oregonlive, OregonLive.com, 18 Jan. 2018 The selection includes a few small pieces that employ found objects and encaustic, a mix of wax and pigment. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 28 June 2019 Door knobs, orange juice container caps, egg cartons, wine bottle corks, doll heads, and fan blades were just some of the materials used to create sculptures, lamps, textiles, and encaustics. Denise Coffey, Courant Community, 16 May 2018 No wonder those North African ancients chose encaustic specifically for mummy portraits. Christopher Knight, latimes.com, 9 Feb. 2018

Word History

Etymology

encaustic, adjective, from Latin encausticus, from Greek enkaustikos, from enkaiein to burn in, from en- + kaiein to burn

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of encaustic was in 1601

Dictionary Entries Near encaustic

Cite this Entry

“Encaustic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encaustic. Accessed 10 Nov. 2024.

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