masterpiece

noun

mas·​ter·​piece ˈma-stər-ˌpēs 

1

: a work done with extraordinary skill

especially : a supreme intellectual or artistic achievement

2

: a piece of work presented to a medieval guild as evidence of qualification for the rank of master

Synonyms of masterpiece

• classic
• masterwork

Examples of masterpiece in a Sentence

The painting was immediately recognized as a masterpiece.

Herman Melville's masterpiece was Moby-Dick.

Her study of apes is a masterpiece.

Recent Examples on the Web

White as a Sunday glove, coconut is the doyenne of Southern layer cakes, a masterpiece of home cookery that has crowned dining room sideboards for more than a hundred years. —Patricia S York, Southern Living, 16 Feb. 2026

Close listeners will recognize the late actor’s vocals as an outtake from the long-running cartoon band’s 2005 masterpiece, Demon Days. —Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2026

Preller’s past two trade deadlines have been masterpieces. —Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026

The poster for Godard’s film is a masterpiece, rivalling the clarity of the movie. —Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for masterpiece

• altarpiece
• centerpiece
• frontispiece
• mantelpiece
• pilates
• summarise
• syntheses
• apiece
• aris
• assise
• caprice
• cerise

Kids Definition

masterpiece

noun

mas·​ter·​piece ˈmas-tər-ˌpēs 

: a work done with great skill

especially : a supreme intellectual or artistic achievement