masterpiece

noun

mas·​ter·​piece ˈma-stər-ˌpēs How to pronounce masterpiece (audio)
1
: a work done with extraordinary skill
especially : a supreme intellectual or artistic achievement
2
: a piece of work presented to a medieval guild as evidence of qualification for the rank of master

Examples of masterpiece in a Sentence

The painting was immediately recognized as a masterpiece. Herman Melville's masterpiece was Moby-Dick. Her study of apes is a masterpiece.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The masterpiece was designed in 1912 by Eduardo Ferrés i Puig and was executed by master glaziers Maumejean. Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025 So begins the novelist Mario Vargas Llosa’s 1969 masterpiece, Conversation in the Cathedral. Ilan Stavans, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2025 In 2018, an anomaly cracked open the door in the form of Ryan Coogler’s Marvel masterpiece Black Panther, which brought in a billion dollars globally. Adelle Platon, VIBE.com, 15 Apr. 2025 Over a century later, the house that bears his name has honored his original masterpiece by releasing Aristo Chypre, one of 14 fragrances that launched with the new brand Infiniment Coty Paris. Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 11 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for masterpiece

Word History

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of masterpiece was in 1600

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Cite this Entry

“Masterpiece.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/masterpiece. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

masterpiece

noun
mas·​ter·​piece ˈmas-tər-ˌpēs How to pronounce masterpiece (audio)
: a work done with great skill
especially : a supreme intellectual or artistic achievement

More from Merriam-Webster on masterpiece

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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