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.
An ultra-modern masterpiece baked into a verdant slope in Luxembourg‘s commune of Kopstal has just arrived on the market at $4.5 million. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 10 July 2025 Surrounded by stately guild houses, City Hall and the King’s House, the city’s must-see main square, Grand-Place, is a masterpiece of Belgian Baroque architecture. New York Times, 10 July 2025 Kaitlin Olson made Dee's own session a masterpiece of wide-eyed neediness, obsessively lying about her past and then demanding the shrink praise her for her acting prowess. Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 10 July 2025 Watch Michael Clayton and revel in the glory that is Tony Gilroy’s masterpiece alongside Charlie and her new Clayton-head neighbors, played by Awkwafina and Lauren Tom. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 July 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 19 Jul. 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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