still life
Americannoun
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still lifes
plural
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a representation chiefly of inanimate objects, as a painting of a bowl of fruit.
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the category of subject matter in which inanimate objects are represented, as in painting or photography.
noun
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a painting or drawing of inanimate objects, such as fruit, flowers, etc
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( as modifier )
a still-life painting
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the genre of such paintings
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of still life
First recorded in 1635–45
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.
We discover mythological scenes and even a still life.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026
But they are drawn to still life, so a lot of my artwork now is centered on still life.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 2, 2026
Next to the screens of combat videos in Madyar's bunker is artwork from renowned Ukrainian painters, including a still life of flowers by Maria Prymachenko.
From Barron's ● Jun. 10, 2026
Lutnick’s testimony this past week, like Bondi’s, is thus operating as a still life in what happens when the law becomes inert.
From Slate ● Feb. 12, 2026
This new style of painting was called still life.
From "The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science" by Joyce Sidman
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.