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still life
noun
plural still lifes
1
: a picture consisting predominantly of inanimate objects
2
: the category of graphic arts concerned with inanimate subject matter
Examples of still life in a Sentence
an exhibit of still lifes
She prefers portraiture to still life.
Recent Examples on the Web
In Office, there’s a microwave supporting a cup, a thermos, and a lemon — a wee still life.
—Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2024
Inspired by Martin Johnson Heade’s Cattleya Orchid with Two Hummingbirds (ca. 1880s), which blurs the line between still life and landscape painting, Ramirez created several mixed-media paintings that focus on the legacies of colonialism, particularly through the lens of tourism.
—Damaly Gonzalez, ARTnews.com, 26 Sep. 2024
On the second floor of the show, Grief/Spring (2024), a 12-by-9-inch still life of daffodils in a vase, is the sole work in a gallery alcove, allowing for an intimate viewing moment.
—Stephanie Sporn, Vogue, 16 Sep. 2024
The irreverent campaign pairs drawings by British artist David Shrigley, best known for his sly social commentary, with the surreal still lifes that Swiss photographer Raymond Meier shot in response to them.
—Lisa Lockwood, WWD, 7 Oct. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1695, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Articles Related to still life
Dictionary Entries Near still life
Cite this Entry
“Still life.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/still%20life. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
still life
noun
plural still lifes
: a picture of an arrangement of objects
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