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Synonyms

masterpiece

American  
[mas-ter-pees, mah-ster-] / ˈmæs tərˌpis, ˈmɑ stər- /

noun

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

  2. anything done with masterly skill.

    a masterpiece of improvisation.

  3. a consummate example of skill or excellence of any kind.

    The chef 's cake was a masterpiece.

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


masterpiece British  
/ ˈmɑːstəˌpiːs, ˈmɑːstəˌwɜːk /

noun

  1. an outstanding work, achievement, or performance

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

"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

Etymology

Origin of masterpiece

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

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.

And a less starry production of Miller’s masterpiece opened last weekend at Pasadena’s A Noise Within.

From Los Angeles Times

That last number is widely regarded as the album’s masterpiece.

From The Wall Street Journal

Ridings had been thrust into the limelight with her Brit Award-nominated debut in 2017, celebrated for her rich, pure-toned vocals on ballads like Lost Without You and the summery pop masterpiece Castles.

From BBC

The play may be, he writes, a “boring” adaptation that “lays waste to a masterpiece of modern literature.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Kahlo depicts two sides of herself in the masterpiece—one lying bloody on a gurney after a surgery and the other sitting up, triumphant in a red, traditional dress.

From The Wall Street Journal