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

Local officials posed around the giant baby blue ceremonial check, applauding as the mayor positioned it on an easel in view of the television cameras. — Tamar Hallerman, AJC.com, 24 Aug. 2026

The theft was discovered the next day when an amateur painter set up his easel next to where the painting was supposed to be. — USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026

Bring your own materials but easels, tables, chairs and drawing horses are provided. — Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 3 Aug. 2026

For Round 2, Sam brings in artists Kiana, Lisa, and Caldwell, and sets them up with easels. — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 28 July 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.