paintbrush

American  

[peynt-bruhsh] / ˈpeɪntˌbrʌʃ /

noun

1. a brush for applying paint, as one used in painting houses or one used in painting pictures.

2. any plant of the genus Castilleja.

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paintbrush British  

/ ˈpeɪntˌbrʌʃ /

noun

1. a brush used to apply paint

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Etymology

Origin of paintbrush

First recorded in 1820–30; paint + brush ¹

Explanation

The long-handled tool with bristles that artists use for dabbing color onto canvas is a paintbrush. If you want to tint your walls in shades of pink, you'll also need a paintbrush. Although some painters have famously splattered, dripped, rolled, and otherwise creatively applied paint to a canvas, the vast majority of them use paintbrushes. The type of paintbrush a housepainter uses has a shorter handle and wider bristles, but its purpose is the same: to smoothly and precisely apply paint to a surface. Whether your medium is watercolors, oil paints, or deck stain, your paintbrush will have soft bristles and a wooden or plastic handle.

Example Sentences

Equally dismissive of his own output, Julian hasn’t wielded a paintbrush in decades.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

It's something that I just evolved into doing and I use my eyelash as a paintbrush.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

Sitting cross-legged on a red carpet, artist Mohammad Younes Qane uses an ultra-fine paintbrush to trace details such as a horse's mane or the beads of a necklace.

From Barron's • Feb. 4, 2026

You can also use a pastry brush or a clean, unused paintbrush to dust off the surfaces.

From Salon • Mar. 22, 2025

Artist Barbie stood next to her, holding a paintbrush, sharing a conspiratorial frown with Doctor Barbie.

From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai