old master
Americannoun
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an eminent artist of an earlier period, especially from the 15th to the 18th centuries.
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a work by such an artist.
noun
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one of the great European painters of the period 1500 to 1800
-
a painting by one of these
Etymology
Origin of old master
First recorded in 1945–50
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.
Cook has never tired of relaying the lessons he learned from Jobs, but he also taught the old master something new.
From Barron's ● Apr. 22, 2026
Now that it’s an auction house, the public can walk in free and view a regularly revolving slate of offerings, from rare books to old master paintings to dinosaur skeletons, depending on the sale calendar.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 17, 2025
"A glorious painting by an old master would be too striking," she said.
From BBC ● May 7, 2025
This is an old master who has dispensed with tools and flourishes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2023
Or painted by an old master as the face of an angel.
From "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
