oeuvre

[œ-vr^uh]

noun

French.

plural

oeuvres 

1. the works of a writer, painter, or the like, taken as a whole.

2. any one of the works of a writer, painter, or the like.

oeuvre

/ œvrə /

noun

1. a work of art, literature, music, etc

2. the total output of a writer, painter, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of oeuvre¹

ultimately from Latin opera, plural of opus work

Example Sentences

The Swedish Academy in Stockholm credited Krasznahorkai “for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art.”

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The Hungarian author was recognised "for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art".

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The Swedish Academy honoured him "for his compelling and visionary oeuvre that, in the midst of apocalyptic terror, reaffirms the power of art."

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In June 2016, the museum debuted its first special exhibition, “Cindy Sherman: Imitation of Life,” which featured 120 self-portraits pulled from the Broad’s collection, the world’s largest holdings of Sherman’s photographic oeuvre.

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Harris’ contribution to the oeuvre remains to be seen.

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When To Use

What does oeuvre mean?

An artist’s oeuvre is their total body of work.Oeuvre can also refer to a single work of art, but it most commonly refers to the collective work of an artist over a lifetime.Oeuvre is a formal word most commonly used in the discussion of artists like painters, composers, and literary figures. Because it’s a French loanword and it’s a kind of hard to pronounce, oeuvre is sometimes considered a bit pretentious.Example: Common throughout F. Scott Fitzgerald’s oeuvre is the theme of indulgence, most evident in his standout novel The Great Gatsby.