sculpture

American  

[skuhlp-cher] / ˈskʌlp tʃər /

noun

• sculptures
  plural

1. the art of carving, modeling, welding, or otherwise producing figurative or abstract works of art in three dimensions, as in relief, intaglio, or in the round.

2. such works of art collectively.

3. an individual piece of such work.

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verb (used with object)

• sculptures,
  present (3rd person singular)
• sculptured,
  past participle,  past
• sculpturing
  present participle

1. to carve, model, weld, or otherwise produce (a piece of sculpture).

2. to produce a portrait or image of in this way; represent in sculpture.

3. Physical Geography. to change the form of (the land surface) by erosion.

verb (used without object)

• sculptures,
  present (3rd person singular)
• sculptured,
  past participle,  past
• sculpturing
  present participle

1. to work as a sculptor.

sculpture British  

/ ˈskʌlptʃə /

noun

1. the art of making figures or designs in relief or the round by carving wood, moulding plaster, etc, or casting metals, etc

2. works or a work made in this way

3. ridges or indentations as on a shell, formed by natural processes

4. the gradual formation of the landscape by erosion

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verb

1. (also intr) to carve, cast, or fashion (stone, bronze, etc) three dimensionally

2. to portray (a person, etc) by means of sculpture

3. to form in the manner of sculpture, esp to shape (landscape) by erosion

4. to decorate with sculpture

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• resculpture
  verb (used with object)
• nonsculptural
  adjective
• sculptural
  adjective
• unsculptural
  adjective
• nonsculpturally
  adverb
• sculpturally
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• sculptures
  plural

Participles

• sculpturing
  present
• sculptured
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• sculpture
  simple
• sculptures
  simple
• have sculptured
  perfect
• has sculptured
  perfect
• am sculpturing
  progressive
• are sculpturing
  progressive
• is sculpturing
  progressive
• have been sculpturing
  perfect progressive
• has been sculpturing
  perfect progressive

Past

• sculptured
  simple
• had sculptured
  perfect
• was sculpturing
  progressive
• were sculpturing
  progressive
• had been sculpturing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will sculpture
  simple
• will have sculptured
  perfect
• will be sculpturing
  progressive
• will have been sculpturing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of sculpture

1350–1400; Middle English (noun) < Latin sculptūra, equivalent to sculpt ( us ) (past participle of sculpere to carve) + -ūra -ure

Explanation

Sculpture is a type of artwork that's two- or three-dimensional, so you can see it from different sides. You can make sculpture from clay, marble, wood, and even mashed potatoes, though the potato kind might not make it into an art museum. From the Latin sculpere "to carve," sculpture often is carved out of a block of wood, stone, or other material. Statues and outdoor artworks are one type of sculpture, and they are freestanding — you can walk around them, under them, or even over them. Other types are carved into walls, with the figures or objects sticking out from a flat surface. Artists called sculptors use soft materials, metal, and even ice and common objects like cars and cans to make sculpture.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sculpture sculptures sculptured sculpturing

The singer noted to the outlet that he has dedicated himself to preserving the work of Black artists, filling his home with various displays, from photography to sculpture.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026

The rep confirmed that — after its stop in Minneapolis — Secret Handshake plans to bring the sculpture to other cities soon, adding that L.A. “would be amazing.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

Its centrepiece is the mixed media sculpture of Martin the mammoth, which has ceramic yellow toenails and a latex tongue.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

Much like paper must be folded into the correct shape to create an origami sculpture, proteins inside cells must form precise three-dimensional structures before they can function properly.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026

As you start to sculpt details—soft cheeks, a lovely small nose, perfect ears, eyes that are closed because you decide this newborn baby is asleep—you realize your sculpture is coming together just right.

From "Ugly" by Robert Hoge

Outside, the grounds of the home display different sculptures, while a sizable pool area provides the perfect place for the family to entertain guests, or relax in the Atlanta sunshine.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026

We would be sipping ice-cold spritzes at cafés overlooking the Mediterranean, frolicking down cobblestone streets lined with charming boutiques, and marveling at the frescoes and marble sculptures adorning grand cathedrals.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026

At their gravesites, we placed two metal sculptures, the “Final Blaze,” gifts from the Appalachian Trail community, many members of whom came to shovel earth upon the graves.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026

She finds a protective quality in Bayouth’s sculptures, almost as if they’re a “little guardian.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026

Pet started walking around and looking through the rest of Bitter’s work—piles of drawings stacked on every flat surface, canvases layered and leaning against the walls, shelves full of small sculptures.

From "Pet" by Akwaeke Emezi

His charming, whimsical collection featured ruffled tutus, sculptured soft knits, peplum jackets, skirts with bustles and plenty of shearling fabric.

From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2026

Her award-winning face, statuesque figure and sculptured features made her blend in with the younger cohort onstage.

From Seattle Times ● May 25, 2024

Natalie Tanner was one of the first people to move into the development, and said she was promised sculptured gardens, which are yet to materialise.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2023

In the end, just the building’s sculptured facade, its public face, bulges outward above a glassed-in lobby.

From New York Times ● Dec. 12, 2022

The frigid environment of the Arctic has sculptured life into compact shapes.

From "Julie of the Wolves" by Jean Craighead George

A busboy is embraced by the beatnik art community when he develops an impressive but morbid method of sculpturing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 25, 2019

After two years of intense production, sculpturing the work in public was “the fun part,” she added.

From New York Times ● May 1, 2013

“Then we would cut the foam board and build it up,” he said, often sculpturing it to fit the shapes in the painting.

From New York Times ● Oct. 27, 2012

Instead, researchers have moved on to new questions like when and how this sculpturing happened and which of our mental traits are adaptations and which are accidents.

From New York Times ● Feb. 26, 2010

These regions present magnificent examples of dry erosion by wind-borne sand, which acts as a powerful sand blast etching away the rocks and producing most beautiful sculpturing.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 1 "Edwardes" to "Ehrenbreitstein" by Various

Related Words

• sculpt