mural

[ myoor-uhl ]

noun

1. a large picture painted or affixed directly on a wall or ceiling.
2. a greatly enlarged photograph attached directly to a wall.
3. a wallpaper pattern representing a landscape or the like, often with very widely spaced repeats so as to produce the effect of a mural painting on a wall of average size; a trompe l'oeil.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling a wall.
2. executed on or affixed to a wall:

   mural inscriptions.

3. pertaining to any of several astronomical instruments that were affixed to a wall aligned on the plane of a meridian, and were formerly used to measure the altitude of celestial bodies:

   a mural quadrant; a mural circle.

mural

/ ˈmjʊərəl /

noun

1. a large painting or picture on a wall

adjective

1. of or relating to a wall

mural

1. A painting, usually large, made directly on a wall.

Notes

The Mexican artist Diego Rivera was noted for his production of murals.

Derived Forms

• ˈmuralist, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of mural¹

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin mūrālis, equivalent to mūr ( us ) wall + -ālis -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of mural¹

C15: from Latin mūrālis, from mūrus wall

Example Sentences

The statue sits in front of a new mural that depicts highlights from the England captain's career, including his debut goal against Lithuania in 2015.

From BBC

That was the De León on display at the Valenzuela mural unveiling.

From Los Angeles Times

The colossal piece of public art was created by Robert Vargas and faces a mural that Vargas painted of another legendary pitcher, Shohei Ohtani, on 1st Street.

From Los Angeles Times

Indian art at that time was largely dominated by realism, found in the murals of the Ajanta caves and in Mughal art or miniature paintings.

From BBC

And in little Tokyo, fans gathered near the Shohei Ohtani mural to celebrate the beloved player who became the first in history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases this season.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• art
• canvas
• composition
• depiction
• landscape
• oil painting
• picture
• portrait
• sketch