masterpiece

noun

mas·​ter·​piece ˈma-stər-ˌpēs How to pronounce masterpiece (audio)
1
: a work done with extraordinary skill
especially : a supreme intellectual or artistic achievement
2
: a piece of work presented to a medieval guild as evidence of qualification for the rank of master

Examples of masterpiece in a Sentence

The painting was immediately recognized as a masterpiece. Herman Melville's masterpiece was Moby-Dick. Her study of apes is a masterpiece.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Jason Schmidt The Best New York Art Shows of 2024 Outsiders, Renaissance masterpieces, crazy quilts, and more. Vulture Editors, Vulture, 13 Dec. 2024 Spanning from luminous leaded glass masterpieces to rare and storied collections, the auctions honor the legacy of Louis Comfort Tiffany alongside a selection of design masterworks spanning Art Deco to contemporary icons, Sotheby’s said in a statement. Thomas Waller, WWD, 12 Dec. 2024 Well, sometimes movies are considered masterpieces for a reason, and this is one of those times. Chris Nashawaty, EW.com, 11 Dec. 2024 Getty Museum conservators spent 2½ years skillfully restoring Cranach’s masterpiece, a high point of the permanent collection at Pasadena’s Norton Simon Museum. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for masterpiece 

Word History

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of masterpiece was in 1600

Dictionary Entries Near masterpiece

Cite this Entry

“Masterpiece.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/masterpiece. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

masterpiece

noun
mas·​ter·​piece ˈmas-tər-ˌpēs How to pronounce masterpiece (audio)
: a work done with great skill
especially : a supreme intellectual or artistic achievement

More from Merriam-Webster on masterpiece

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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