maestro

noun

mae·​stro ˈmī-(ˌ)strō 

plural maestros or maestri ˈmī-ˌstrē 

: a master usually in an art

especially : an eminent composer, conductor, or teacher of music

Synonyms

• ace
• adept
• artist
• authority
• cognoscente
• connoisseur
• crackerjack
• crackajack
• dab [chiefly British]
• dab hand [chiefly British]
• expert
• fiend
• geek
• guru
• hand
• hotshot
• master
• maven
• mavin
• meister
• past master
• proficient
• scholar
• shark
• sharp
• virtuoso
• whiz
• wizard

Examples of maestro in a Sentence

a maestro of the violin

Recent Examples on the Web

The maestro of the Rolling Stones, Leavell has served as their keyboardist and musical director since the early ‘80s, coming in as a veteran of the Allman Brothers Band and his own jam-rock outfit Sea Level. —Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 10 July 2024

That mandate expands in the nine Etruria suites, housed in 2001 buildings by the late Italian postmodern maestro Alessandro Mendini. —Sam Cochran, Architectural Digest, 9 July 2024

There was barely enough time to meet van Zweden, let alone get a full sense of him, as man or maestro. —Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 7 June 2024

Rosie’s and its sister restaurant, Walker’s Tap & Table, bookend the same shopping center and share their kitchen maestro, Chad Wells, named best chef by Howard Magazine readers. —Allana Haynes, Baltimore Sun, 27 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Italian, literally, master, from Latin magister — more at master

First Known Use

1607, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

maestro

noun

mae·​stro ˈmī-strō 

plural maestros or maestri -ˌstrē 

: a master of an art and especially of music

Etymology

from Italian maestro, literally "master," from Latin magister "master, one who holds a higher political office" — related to magistrate, master