oeuvre

noun

oeu·​vre ˈu̇-vrə 

ˈər-, 

ˈə-, 

ˈœ- 

plural oeuvres ˈu̇-vrə 

ˈə(r)-, 

ˈœ- 

: a substantial body of work constituting the lifework of a writer, an artist, or a composer

a catalogue of Rembrandt's oeuvre

scrupulously examines Dickens' oeuvre in order to demonstrate how his convictions helped to determine the shape of his novels

—G. J. Worth

Synonyms of oeuvre

• output
• corpus

Examples of oeuvre in a Sentence

a novel that occupies a relatively minor position in the author's oeuvre

Recent Examples on the Web

Although his oeuvre was preoccupied with love in all its shades, the image of James Baldwin that endures in American memory is profoundly isolated and aromantic. —The Atlantic, 4 Dec. 2025

The 1980s brought the addition of fabric to his oeuvre, lending his works a sense of depth. —News Desk, Artforum, 24 Nov. 2025

As Constant Readers of King know all too well, his vast oeuvre is known for its cross-pollination of characters, towns, monsters, and mysteries. —Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Nov. 2025

Her oeuvre is all over the place in a literal sense too, set in a disorienting array of locations—upstate New York, Baja California, New Mexico, Minnesota. —Victor J. Blue, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, literally, "work," going back to Old French ovre, going back to Latin opera "activity, effort, attention, work," collective derivative from oper-, opus "work, effort, product of labor" — more at opus

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for oeuvre

• louvre