altarpiece

noun

al·​tar·​piece ˈȯl-tər-ˌpēs 

: a work of art that decorates the space above and behind an altar

Examples of altarpiece in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Originally composed of six panels, Antonello created the altarpiece for the Monastero di San Gregorio, which was destroyed in the 1908 Messina earthquake. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 18 Aug. 2026

The thieves took a five-panel altarpiece known as the Polittico di San Gregorio, which is the only work by Antonello da Messina to have never left his hometown. — News Desk, Artforum, 17 Aug. 2026

What was stolen All five surviving wooden panels of the San Gregorio Polyptych, an altarpiece signed and dated to 1473, were removed, while another small double-sided panel was removed from a secure display case. — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 17 Aug. 2026

In Saturday's heist, thieves made off with three of the five surviving panels from an altarpiece by Antonello known as the Polittico di San Gregorio. — Willem Marx, NPR, 16 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1624, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for altarpiece

• centerpiece
• frontispiece
• mantelpiece
• masterpiece
• pilates
• specialise
• stabilise
• syntheses
• apiece
• aris
• assise
• caprice