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)
4.
to carve, model, weld, or otherwise produce (a piece of sculpture).
5.
to produce a portrait or image of in this way; represent in sculpture.
6.
Physical Geography. to change the form of (the land surface) by erosion.
–verb (used without object)
7.
to work as a sculptor.
[Origin: 1350–1400; ME (n.) < L sculptūra, equiv. to sculpt(us) (ptp. of sculpere to carve) + -ūra-ure]
1390, from L. sculptura "sculpture," from pp. stem of sculpere "to carve, engrave," back-formation from compounds such as exculpere, from scalpere "to carve, cut," from PIE base *(s)kel- "to cut, cleave." Sculptor is first recorded 1634, from L. sculptor, from sculpere.
Sculp"ture\ (?; 135), n. [L. sculptura: cf. F. sculpture.]1. The art of carving, cutting, or hewing wood, stone, metal, etc., into statues, ornaments, etc., or into figures, as of men, or other things; hence, the art of producing figures and groups, whether in plastic or hard materials. 2. Carved work modeled of, or cut upon, wood, stone, metal, etc. There, too, in living sculpture, might be seen The mad affection of the Cretan queen. --Dryden.
Sculp"ture\ (?; 135), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sculptured; p. pr. & vb. n. Sculpturing.] To form with the chisel on, in, or from, wood, stone, or metal; to carve; to engrave. Sculptured tortoise (Zo["o]l.), a common North American wood tortoise (Glyptemys insculpta). The shell is marked with strong grooving and ridges which resemble sculptured figures.