maestro

noun

mae·​stro ˈmī-(ˌ)strō 

plural maestros or maestri ˈmī-ˌstrē 

: a master usually in an art

especially : an eminent composer, conductor, or teacher of music

Synonyms

• ace
• adept
• artist
• authority
• cognoscente
• connoisseur
• crackerjack
• crackajack
• dab [chiefly British]
• dab hand [chiefly British]
• expert
• fiend
• geek
• guru
• hand
• hotshot
• master
• maven
• mavin
• meister
• past master
• proficient
• scholar
• shark
• sharp
• virtuoso
• whiz
• wizard

Examples of maestro in a Sentence

a maestro of the violin

Recent Examples on the Web

Read All About It Quincy Jones, a maestro of American music who worked with legends from Frank Sinatra to Michael Jackson and earned a record 80 Grammy Award nominations, has died at 91. —Elizabeth Both, NBC News, 4 Nov. 2024

One To Watch: Devil’s Cut From mixology maestro Shingo Gokan, recently named as one of the most influential people in the industry globally in Drinks International’s Bar World 100, Devil’s Cut is a brand-new cocktail hotspot in Las Letras. —Isabelle Kliger, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

At age 92, the maestro has received no shortage of accolades — from institutions, admirers and his peers in the Academy — and yet, Williams has long resisted requests to turn the cameras around on him. —Peter Debruge, Variety, 24 Oct. 2024

But the maestro was powerless to stifle a burst of gratitude and relief, a communal exhalation, prompted by music, that could only take place in the sanctum of a concert hall. —Justin Davidson, Curbed, 16 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Italian, literally, master, from Latin magister — more at master

First Known Use

1607, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

maestro

noun

mae·​stro ˈmī-strō 

plural maestros or maestri -ˌstrē 

: a master of an art and especially of music

Etymology

from Italian maestro, literally "master," from Latin magister "master, one who holds a higher political office" — related to magistrate, master