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.
This streamer is one for movie lovers, featuring everything from cult classics to modern masterpieces. Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025 Designed with an exquisite blend of timeless contemporary architecture and luxurious comfort, this nearly 10,000-square-foot masterpiece offers an unparalleled living experience, seamlessly integrating grandeur with practicality. Rowan Briggs, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2025 Someone else whose very existence was a masterpiece declared all art quite useless. Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025 This Side of the Island is a more concise and conceptual effort, compared to his last full-length, 2020’s The Loves of Your Life, which is a masterpiece of musical storytelling. Frank Digiacomo, Billboard, 10 Mar. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Masterpiece.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/masterpiece. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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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