masterpiece

noun

mas·​ter·​piece ˈma-stər-ˌpēs 

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

Synonyms

• chef d'oeuvre
• classic
• magnum opus
• masterwork

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

Accessible only by a daring climb up sheer rock faces, this 6th-century masterpiece rewards the brave with breathtaking views and ancient frescoes untouched by time. —Emese MacZko, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2025

James lifted the Lakers over Golden State with a vintage 42-point, 17-rebound masterpiece. —Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2025

With that encounter, Universal Language transitions into its final homage: to Kiarostami’s 1990 masterpiece, Close-Up. —Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 15 Feb. 2025

This mountainside restaurant transforms hyperlocal ingredients into edible masterpieces, inviting guests on a sensory journey enhanced by one of the region's best wine lists. —Jenn Rice, Vogue, 12 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for masterpiece

• altarpiece
• centerpiece
• frontispiece
• mantelpiece
• pilates
• summarise
• syntheses
• apiece
• aris
• assise
• caprice
• cerise

Kids Definition

masterpiece

noun

mas·​ter·​piece ˈmas-tər-ˌpēs 

: a work done with great skill

especially : a supreme intellectual or artistic achievement