Pre-Raphaelite

noun

Pre-Ra·​pha·​el·​ite (ˌ)prē-ˈra-fē-ə-ˌlīt How to pronounce Pre-Raphaelite (audio)
-ˈrā-,
-ˈrä-
1
a
: a member of a brotherhood of artists formed in England in 1848 to restore the artistic principles and practices regarded as characteristic of Italian art before Raphael
b
: an artist or writer influenced by this brotherhood
2
: a modern artist dedicated to restoring early Renaissance ideals or methods
Pre-Raphaelite adjective
Pre-Raphaelitism noun

Examples of Pre-Raphaelite in a Sentence

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.
Baker has a mop of Pre-Raphaelite bangs and an open smile. Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 17 June 2024 The Pre-Raphaelite artist, designer, and utopian socialist William Morris took a run at Homer in 1887 and hit the wall hard. Anahid Nersessian, The New York Review of Books, 29 June 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of Pre-Raphaelite was in 1850

Dictionary Entries Near Pre-Raphaelite

Cite this Entry

“Pre-Raphaelite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Pre-Raphaelite. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!