maestro
Americannoun
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an eminent composer, teacher, or conductor of music.
Toscanini and other great maestros.
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(initial capital letter) a title of respect used in addressing or referring to such a person.
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a master of any art.
the maestros of poetry.
noun
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a distinguished music teacher, conductor, or musician
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any man regarded as the master of an art: often used as a term of address
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of maestro
1790–1800; < Italian: master
Explanation
A maestro is an artistic master: someone who is skilled enough to be considered an artistic genius. Taking one music class or art class can teach you a lot, but it won't make you a maestro. Maestro (which comes from Italian) is reserved for people with an enormous amount of skill and talent. This word can apply to any type of artist — and sometimes, to people with impressive skills in other areas — but it's most commonly applied to musicians. Master composers, pianists, cellists, guitarists, and conductors are often called maestros.
Vocabulary lists containing maestro
The Watsons Go to Birmingham
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Stargirl
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The Phantom Tollbooth
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Gussalli Beretta, the 64-year-old 15th-generation descendant of company founder Maestro Bartolomeo Beretta, calls Ruger’s characterizations of his takeover aspirations “fake news.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026
She has also appeared in a number of other critically-acclaimed films, earning Oscar best actress nominations for Bradley Cooper's Maestro and Emerald Fennell's Promising Young Woman.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
This year's offerings include the "Best in Show," the "Golden Cut Margarita," the "Maestro Martini" and "The Sequel," made with gold vanilla edible paint streaked along the side.
From Barron's • Mar. 11, 2026
So when BBC Maestro announced, at the end of April, that it was launching a digital class in which an AI-resurrected Christie would offer lessons in writing, it was difficult not to be outraged.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2025
“I want to be a certified fencing Maestro so I have to go through a certification course in Hungary, and it’s about to get started,” he said.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
