painting

American  

[peyn-ting] / ˈpeɪn tɪŋ /

noun

1. a picture or design executed in paints.

2. the act, art, or work of a person who paints.

3. the works of art painted painted in a particular manner, place, or period.

   a book on Flemish painting.

4. an instance of covering a surface with paint.

---

painting British  

/ ˈpeɪntɪŋ /

noun

1. the art or process of applying paints to a surface such as canvas, to make a picture or other artistic composition

2. a composition or picture made in this way

3. the act of applying paint to a surface with a brush

---

Etymology

Origin of painting

Middle English word dating back to 1175–1225; paint, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Their haul included two Rembrandt oil paintings, sketches by French artist Edgar Degas and “The Concert,” one of only 36 Vermeers in existence.

From The Wall Street Journal

It looks like a painting, a gauzy advertisement from a women’s magazine.

From Literature

“I was attached to this Henry Darger painting when I was writing the book. I felt like that was a really accurate visual representation of little girls running away from utter chaos,” says Cash.

From Los Angeles Times

In the 1960s, American artists began turning their backs on painting and sculpture, turning to a new material of choice: the land underfoot.

From The Wall Street Journal

In both paintings, showmen scientists prove a principle to the public.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• art
• canvas
• composition
• depiction
• landscape
• mural
• oil painting
• picture
• portrait
• sketch