magnum opus
noun
Did you know?
You may recognize magnum (meaning "great") as a Latin word that shows up in altered forms in several English words, and perhaps you can also come up with a few words that are related to opus ("work"). Magnitude, magnanimous, opulent, and operate are some obvious relations of the two. Magnum opus, which entered English in the 18th century, retains the original Latin spelling and the literal meaning "great work." Although the term most often refers to literary, musical, or artistic productions, it has been used to describe many kinds of great works, including games, construction projects, and even surgical techniques.
Examples of magnum opus in a Sentence
Luke Leitch, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2026
These detections have allowed scientists to test the theory that first predicted the existence of both black holes and gravitational waves, Einstein's magnum opus theory of gravity, general relativity.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Yet while Alfa Romeo recently saluted its magnum opus with a new 33 Stradale based on sibling marque Maserati’s MC20 supercar, the R33 from Automotive Artisans is far closer to the original.
—Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 14 Feb. 2026
After years of editing, what was to become Wallace’s magnum opus was published on February 1, 1996.
—Literary Hub, 2 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for magnum opus
Cite this Entry
“Magnum opus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magnum%20opus. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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magnum opus
noun
