masterpiece

noun
/ˈmæstɚˌpis/US/ˈmɑːstəˌpiːs/UK

Etymology

From master + piece, a calque of Dutch meesterstuk or German Meisterstück (“masterpiece”). Piecewise doublet of maestropiece and masterstick. Compare also journeyman's piece.

  1. calqued from Meisterstück — “masterpiece
  2. calqued from meesterstuk

Definitions

  1. A piece of work that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is…

    A piece of work that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career.

  2. A work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship.

    • Masterpieces are not completed, they are abandoned.
    • “‘Man is amazing, but he is not a masterpiece,’ he said, keeping his eyes fixed on the glass case. ‘Perhaps the artist was a little mad. […]’
    • It would hardly be an overstatement to describe Drummond's next design as an outstanding British locomotive class, and possibly his masterpiece.
  3. A work created in order to qualify as a master craftsman and member of a guild.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for masterpiece. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA