oeuvre

noun

oeu·​vre ˈu̇-vrə 

ˈər-,

ˈə-,

ˈœ- 

plural oeuvres ˈu̇-vrə 

ˈə(r)-,

ˈœ- 

: a substantial body of work constituting the lifework of a writer, an artist, or a composer

a catalogue of Rembrandt's oeuvre

scrupulously examines Dickens' oeuvre in order to demonstrate how his convictions helped to determine the shape of his novels

—G. J. Worth

Synonyms

• corpus

Example Sentences

a novel that occupies a relatively minor position in the author's oeuvre

Recent Examples on the Web

The cages have been an important part of Joe’s oeuvre, originating in Caroline Kepnes’ book series, on which the show is based. —Amy Mackelden, ELLE, 10 Mar. 2023

Once the Nazis came to power, Traven’s radical writings were deemed so inimical that his entire oeuvre was tossed onto bonfires. —Jud Newborn, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Feb. 2023

Within his oeuvre, Pesce blurs the lines between art, architecture and design with provocative, conversational pieces. —Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 16 Feb. 2023

David Binder, the outgoing artistic director of BAM and a longtime champion of Hansberry’s oeuvre, sees it as a work whose time has come. —Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2023

His oeuvre represents a record of silent battles, taking place out of sight, in homeless encampments and trailer homes and apartment living rooms, on job sites and in bars. —David L. Ulin, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2023

Signs is a contemplative film that draws a great deal of stylistic influence from Alfred Hitchcock's oeuvre, in particular the quietly menacing tone of The Birds, coupled with the creeping dread of George Romero's Night of the Living Dead, substituting zombies for aliens. —Sezin Koehler, EW.com, 26 Dec. 2022

The Elora character, who is only mentioned but not seen in the promotional materials for the show, is in fact credited as the reasoning behind why such a small property from the LucasFilm oeuvre was brought back in the first place. —Dan Heching, CNN, 29 Nov. 2022

Most familiar of all from the Dunham oeuvre is the sense that even within this claustrophobically intimate group, each individual inhabits her own protective narcissistic bubble. —Lidija Haas, The New Republic, 29 July 2022

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Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, literally, "work," going back to Old French ovre, going back to Latin opera "activity, effort, attention, work," collective derivative from oper-, opus "work, effort, product of labor" — more at opus

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above