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

In some cases, the art set container transforms into a makeshift easel, which is perfect for those who don’t want to buy one separately. —Bestreviews, Mercury News, 16 June 2025

The Architect Studio includes midcentury-modern furniture, herringbone fabric wallpaper, and an olive granite soaking tub, while the Artist Studio pairs eclectic artwork with a stained glass window, antique fireplace, and vintage painting easel. —Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 29 May 2025

Soon, fast-growing vines of hops begin their dramatic climb up a neighbor’s tall trellis, visible from Alvarez’s easel. —Elly Fishman, New York Times, 22 May 2025

Nicole Colunga stood behind an easel at 135th Street, her paintbrush depicting the scene of protesters in front of her. —Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 15 June 2025

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

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.