easel

noun

ea·​sel ˈē-zəl 

: a frame for supporting something (such as an artist's canvas)

Illustration of easel

Examples of easel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Launching the plan means the district spending money on training for teachers and materials like play kitchens, bookshelves, blocks and easels. —Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 11 June 2026

Everyone wears white, and an enlarged portrait of Paul sits on an easel overlooking the quad. —Zinzi Clemmons, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2026

The facilitator declined to write patriotism on the easel. —Yoni Appelbaum, The Atlantic, 8 June 2026

Be sure to visit the historic district that weekend to enjoy watching the artists with their easels set up around town to capture its unique charm. —Janet Kusterer, Baltimore Sun, 23 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Dutch ezel, literally, "donkey," going back to Middle Dutch esel, going back to Germanic *asil- (whence Old Saxon & Old High German esil "donkey," Old English esol, eosol, Gothic asilus), altered from Latin asinus — more at ass entry 1

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for easel

• weasel
• biodiesel

Kids Definition

easel

noun

ea·​sel ˈē-zəl 

: a frame for supporting something (as an artist's canvas)

Etymology

from Dutch ezel "a frame to hold an artist's canvas," literally, "donkey"

Word Origin

An easel is a frame for holding up such things as an artist's painting or a chalkboard. In the 17th century the Dutch had become famous throughout Europe for their oil painting. Thus it was their word ezel, which they used to refer to this piece of equipment, that was borrowed into English around that time. This sense of ezel was an extension of the original meaning "donkey," probably because an easel, like a beast of burden, is used to hold things.