old master

noun

: a work of art by an established master and especially by any of the distinguished painters of the 16th, 17th, or early 18th century

also : such an artist

Examples of old master in a Sentence

Their collection of old masters will be sold at the auction.

Recent Examples on the Web

Don’t worry about limitations in talent, as not every painter can be an old master. —Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 19 Feb. 2026

Then, make your way to the second-floor galleries of 19th- and early-20th-century European paintings and sculpture, filled with works by old masters such as van Gogh, Monet, Degas, Cézanne, and Picasso. —Katie James Watkinson, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Feb. 2026

The 93-year-old master of contemporary art is the subject of a massive retrospective in Paris. —Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 3 Jan. 2026

The museum’s collection is one of the most stunning examples of European old masters, American art and Russian icons in the region. —Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1684, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for old master

• bandmaster
• broadcaster
• cadastre
• disaster
• forecaster
• headmaster
• newscaster
• paymaster
• pilaster
• postmaster
• roadmaster
• schoolmaster