masterpiece
Americannoun
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masterpieces
plural
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a person's greatest piece of work, as in an art.
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anything done with masterly skill.
a masterpiece of improvisation.
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a consummate example of skill or excellence of any kind.
The chef 's cake was a masterpiece.
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a piece made by a person aspiring to the rank of master in a guild or other craft organization as a proof of competence.
noun
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an outstanding work, achievement, or performance
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the most outstanding piece of work of a creative artist, craftsman, etc
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of masterpiece
1570–80; master + piece, modeled on Dutch meesterstuk, German Meisterstück
Explanation
Many people have to agree that a painting or a novel is wonderful, and they usually need to feel that way for years, in order for it to be considered a true masterpiece. An artist or writer is generally capable of creating only one masterpiece in her lifetime, if she makes a masterpiece at all. When an art historian or English teacher uses it, the word masterpiece implies a truly sublime, amazing creation. You can also describe something that's simply great as a masterpiece, like the seven-layer chocolate cake your mom baked for your birthday. Masterpiece comes from the Dutch meesterstuk, "work by which a craftsman attains the rank of master."
Vocabulary lists containing masterpiece
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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.
See Examples For:
They need the version of him that delivered the perfect game a year ago, his three-home-run, 10-strikeout masterpiece that sent Milwaukee home in Game 4 of the NLCS.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Members of the public who were not successful in the first ticket release will have two further chances to view the masterpiece when further tickets go on sale in October and January.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
“This union of artistry and vision transformed the property into a singular masterpiece, embodying the glamour and creative force of Hollywood’s Golden Age,” the description added.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
In this masterpiece of Japanese painting, Shōhaku visualizes his version of an old Chinese legend.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
We may pause briefly before a famous masterpiece that we have been told we are supposed to admire, then ignore the gallery full of equally beautiful and important works around it.
From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson
Empress Eugénie’s diamond corsage bow brooch is a historic masterpieces of the French Crown Jewels.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026
Two of the masterpieces stolen from the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer, a suburb of Nice, have yet to be recovered.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
This is a rare chance to encounter one of the world’s masterpieces, contemplate the origins of the modern monarchy, and learn about medieval life firsthand from a work once more on its home soil.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
The cat may be evolution’s artwork, but it is the dog that holds sway in prints and paintings, and in many cases transforms them into masterpieces.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
A prime example of this technique is the Missa Papae Marcelli by Giovanni Palestrina, probably composed in 1562 and considered one of the most treasured masterpieces of all sacred music.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
