conversation piece

noun

Definition of conversation piece

1 : a painting of a group of persons in their customary surroundings

2 : something (such as a novel or unusual object) that stimulates conversation

Examples of conversation piece in a Sentence

The exotic plant in our living room is a conversation piece that guests always ask about.

Recent Examples on the Web

Every art collection needs a conversation piece, right? — Patti Greco, Glamour, "17 Bonkers Things Blake Lively Says and Does in Her New Movie A Simple Favor," 16 Sep. 2018 What’s a better conversation piece to recruits than this? — Steve Reaven, chicagotribune.com, "No Small feat: Illinois men's golf coach contending at Senior Players at Exmoor," 13 July 2018 The song is a conversation piece, not woven into the feelings of the characters. — Christopher Arnott, courant.com, "Hot, Timely 'On Your Feet!' Delivers Estefans' Indomitable Spirit," 20 June 2018 At one point in the discussion with Brown, the senator acknowledged that all of the ideas being discussed on stage would remain conversation pieces if Democrats fail again to deliver at the ballot. — Dan Merica, CNN, "Democrats are running hard -- away from the Trump circus," 15 May 2018 For the bean-counters in New York, months of debate plus draft-day uncertainty helps sustain the NFL as a 12-month conversation piece. — Jacob Feldman, SI.com, "Why No QB Has Emerged Atop the Draft Pack," 11 Apr. 2018 So was the bar’s main conversation piece: the toilet. — Esther Mobley, San Francisco Chronicle, "Guerneville’s El Barrio a mescal oasis along the Russian River," 14 Feb. 2018 And largely because of the success down the road this season, the Cougars will have a new conversation piece when the Fertitta Center opens next season: an NCAA Tournament banner. — Joseph Duarte, Houston Chronicle, "UH seeks undefeated record at home in regular-season finale vs. UConn," 3 Mar. 2018 The impact of this narrative led to some of early America’s most rigorous archaeology, as the quest to determine where these mounds came from became salacious conversation pieces for America’s middle and upper classes. — Sarah E. Baires, Smithsonian, "White Settlers Buried the Truth About the Midwest’s Mysterious Mound Cities," 23 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'conversation piece.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.