sculpture

[ skuhlp-cher ]

noun

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.

verb (used with object)

, sculp·tured, sculp·tur·ing.

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)

, sculp·tured, sculp·tur·ing.

1. to work as a sculptor.

sculpture

/ 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

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

Derived Forms

• ˈsculptural, adjective
• ˈsculpturally, adverb

Other Words From

• sculptur·al adjective
• sculptur·al·ly adverb
• non·sculptur·al adjective
• non·sculptur·al·ly adverb
• re·sculpture verb (used with object) resculptured resculpturing
• un·sculptur·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sculpture¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of sculpture¹

C14: from Latin sculptūra a carving; see sculpt

Example Sentences

There are cool sculptures of athletes, like archer Matt Stutzman.

From Outside Online

Blackberry Mountain’s guides will lead you to various hidden treasures on the property, whether it’s a flowy piece of singletrack or a sculpture by renowned Danish artist Thomas Dambo nestled off a hiking trail.

From Outside Online

The oversized, cartoonish sculpture was, in part, inspired by the 1964 exhibition titled, “The American Supermarket,” held at the Upper East Side gallery, Bianchini — run by Paul Bianchini, a famed Pop Art dealer and kingmaker in the industry.

From Eater

Another 114 participants rated the extent to which someone described in written accounts of each of the eight situations depicted by the sculptures would express the same 30 emotions or 13 emotional states.

From Science News

Grimaces, scowls and doting gazes of ancient human sculptures indicate that there are universal facial expressions that signal the same emotions across cultures, researchers argue.

From Science News

Her very first sculpture, a metallic chrome unicorn aptly titled “Space Oracle,” sits on a pedestal directly in front.

From The Daily Beast

Like trees, these structures provide shelter and serve as attractive pieces of natural sculpture.

From The Daily Beast

Now, Borkson and Sandoval have created a Rorschach-esq sculpture.

From The Daily Beast

He emerges, barely, pared to his essence, like a sculpture hacked from ice.

From The Daily Beast

“Most of the time, the body language was very violent towards the sculpture,” Adicéam said.

From The Daily Beast

Mrs. De Morgan has produced some impressive works in sculpture.

From Project Gutenberg

He uses the red pipe-stone and other materials in the production of his pipes, which are ingenious specimens of sculpture.

From Project Gutenberg

The Herren Pagoda has three stories, with a pointed roof, and is distinguished for its external sculpture.

From Project Gutenberg

The word able is applicable to those arts which exercise at once the mind and the hand, as painting and sculpture.

From Project Gutenberg

The sculpture and frescoes of the period of course exhibited the depraved taste and debased execution of the times.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• sculpt