painter

¹ American  

[peyn-ter] / ˈpeɪn tər /

noun

1. an artist who paints pictures.

2. a person who coats walls or other surfaces with paint, especially as an occupation.

3. Astronomy. Painter, the constellation Pictor.

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painter ² American  

[peyn-ter] / ˈpeɪn tər /

noun

1. a rope, usually at the bow, for fastening a boat to a ship, stake, etc.

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painter ³ American  

[peyn-ter] / ˈpeɪn tər /

noun

1. cougar.

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painter ¹ British  

/ ˈpeɪntə /

noun

1. a person who paints surfaces as a trade

2. an artist who paints pictures

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painter ² British  

/ ˈpeɪntə /

noun

1. a line attached to the bow of a boat for tying it up

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Etymology

Origin of painter¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English peyntour, pentour, paint(o)ur, from Anglo-French peint(o)ur, from unattested Vulgar Latin pinctor, from Latin pictor (noun derivative of pingere paint ( def. ) + -or ² ( def. ) ); -er ¹ ( def. )

Origin of painter²

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English peyntour, pentre, probably from Middle French pentoir, variant of pendoir “rope, cord for hanging things on,” from Old French pentoir, penteur; pend, -er ²

Origin of painter³

An Americanism dating back to 1755–65; variant of panther

Example Sentences

Once we knew what she’d be wearing, we gathered around the rolls of seamless paper together, weighing color options like painters choosing a palette.

From Los Angeles Times

“Renoir Drawings” is the first comprehensive exhibition devoted to this little-known aspect of the painter’s work in over a century.

From The Wall Street Journal

The set decorator, the painter, the greens person that puts the moss in is like, “Do you see where I put the moss right there? You see the moss right there?”

From Los Angeles Times

Jully Lee was brilliant as Hannah, the itinerant painter who turns up with her 97-year-old poet father at a Mexican seaside inn that is like a refuge for the world’s strays.

From Los Angeles Times

Davis was a painter’s painter, a deeply thoughtful and idiosyncratic Black voice heard by other artists and aficionados, even while still in invigorating development.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• animator
• artisan
• craftsman
• illustrator