masterpiece

[ mas-ter-pees, mah-ster- ]

/ ˈmæs tərˌpis, ˈmɑ stər- /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR masterpiece ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person's greatest piece of work, as in an art.

anything done with masterly skill: a masterpiece of improvisation.

a consummate example of skill or excellence of any kind: The chef's cake was a masterpiece.

a piece made by a person aspiring to the rank of master in a guild or other craft organization as a proof of competence.

Nearby words

master-slave manipulator, masterclass, masterful, masterly, mastermind, masterpiece, masters, mastership, mastersinger, masterson, masterstroke

Origin of masterpiece

1570–80; master + piece, modeled on Dutch meesterstuk, German Meisterstück

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for masterpiece

The masterpiece is huge, but structurally flawed and terribly vulnerable to seismic activity.
Florence Preps ‘David’ for the Big One|Barbie Latza Nadeau|December 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In the masterpiece Mr. Turner, Mike Leigh translates the soul of his characters on screen.
Mike Leigh Is the Master Filmmaker Who Hates Hollywood|Nico Hines|October 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Two decades on from his masterpiece on anti-Americanism abroad, Whit Stillman remains obsessed with native-expat dynamics.
Whit Stillman on the 20th Anniversary of ‘Barcelona’, His New Amazon Series, and the Myth of the Ugly Expat|Michael Weiss|August 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Think twice about filming that two-minute masterpiece and making yourself the next Paris Hilton (if you're lucky).
So You Want to be a Porn Star? Inside the Sex Tape Phenomenon|Aurora Snow|July 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Did it have anything to do with you starring with Zac Efron in the masterpiece that was Charlie St. Cloud?
Dave Franco Uncut: The Actor on ’22 Jump Street,’ ‘The Room,’ and His Bro’s Nude Instagrams|Marlow Stern|June 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Inspiration, alone, dictated this masterpiece; it rose from the composer's soul like a cry of love!
Massimilla Doni|Honore de Balzac
Malgaigne declares Chauliac's "Chirurgia Magna" to be "a masterpiece of learned and luminous writing."
Old-Time Makers of Medicine|James J. Walsh
Sick and beaten, Paul took the masterpiece back to his skylight room.
The Man Upstairs|P. G. Wodehouse
This letter was not, in my eyes, a masterpiece, but neither was it from a vulgar hand.
The Memoirs of Madame de Montespan, Complete|Madame La Marquise De Montespan
There is a play of line in the mullions, which, considering their size and strength, may be pronounced quite a masterpiece of art.
Seeing Europe with Famous Authors, Volume 3|Various

British Dictionary definitions for masterpiece

masterpiece

less commonly masterwork (ˈmɑːstəˌwɜːk)

/ (ˈmɑːstəˌpiːs) /

noun

an outstanding work, achievement, or performance

the most outstanding piece of work of a creative artist, craftsman, etc

Word Origin for masterpiece

C17: compare Dutch meesterstuk, German Meisterstück, a sample of work submitted to a guild by a craftsman in order to qualify for the rank of master

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

masterpiece

noun

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Nearby words

Origin of masterpiece

Examples from the Web for masterpiece

British Dictionary definitions for masterpiece

masterpiece

less commonly masterwork (ˈmɑːstəˌwɜːk)

noun

Word Origin for masterpiece