masterpiece

[ mas-ter-pees, mah-ster- ]
See synonyms for: masterpiecemasterpieces on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a person's greatest piece of work, as in an art.

  2. anything done with masterly skill: a masterpiece of improvisation.

  1. a consummate example of skill or excellence of any kind: The chef's cake was a masterpiece.

  2. a piece made by a person aspiring to the rank of master in a guild or other craft organization as a proof of competence.

Origin of masterpiece

1
1570–80; master + piece, modeled on Dutch meesterstuk,German Meisterstück

Words Nearby masterpiece

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use masterpiece in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for masterpiece

masterpiece

less commonly masterwork (ˈmɑːstəˌwɜːk)

/ (ˈmɑːstəˌpiːs) /


noun
  1. an outstanding work, achievement, or performance

  2. the most outstanding piece of work of a creative artist, craftsman, etc

Origin of masterpiece

1
C17: compare Dutch meesterstuk, German Meisterstück, a sample of work submitted to a guild by a craftsman in order to qualify for the rank of master

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012