masterpiece

[ mas-ter-pees, mah-ster- ]

noun

1. a person's greatest piece of work, as in an art.
2. anything done with masterly skill:

   a masterpiece of improvisation.

3. a consummate example of skill or excellence of any kind:

   The chef 's cake was a masterpiece.

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

masterpiece

/ ˈmɑːstəˌpiːs; ˈmɑːstəˌwɜːk /

noun

1. an outstanding work, achievement, or performance
2. the most outstanding piece of work of a creative artist, craftsman, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of masterpiece¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of masterpiece¹

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

Example Sentences

Zuckerberg, 40, perhaps ironically described the track as a "lyrical masterpiece", and has released his version under the name Z-Pain.

From BBC

The largest restoration of Rembrandt's masterpiece, The Night Watch, is under way at the Rijksmuseum, in Amsterdam.

From BBC

And if everything else I know of him were not enough, Chef Warren Leruth invented the masterpiece that is Oyster Artichoke Soup, though he called it Potage LeRuth, and for me that is a crowning jewel of his most esteemed accomplishments.

From Salon

The Cavs made eight threes in the first quarter in just 13 attempts while making all nine of their two-point shots, a masterpiece in modern basketball where teams try to hunt shots at the rim and behind the line.

From Los Angeles Times

The most hopeful part of Hooper’s American masterpiece?

From Slate

Related Words

• classic
• gem
• jewel
• monument
• treasure