painter

1 of 3

noun (1)

paint·​er ˈpān-tər 

: one that paints: such as

a

: an artist who paints

b

: one who applies paint especially as an occupation

painter

2 of 3

noun (2)

pain·​ter ˈpān-tər 

: a line used for securing or towing a boat

painter

3 of 3

noun (3)

pain·​ter ˈpān-tər 

: cougar sense 1

Examples of painter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

So what about the cave paintings was so moving to an ostensibly nonfigurative painter like Frankenthaler? —Carol Armstrong, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026

Currently, Local Color has 25,000 square feet of studio space at two locations for more than 50 artists, including painters, graphic designers and multicultural percussion groups. —Ethan Varian, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025

The optimistic case for AI is that new artistic tools will yield new forms of art, much as the invention of the camera created the art of photography and pushed painters to explore less realistic forms. —Nick Geisler, The Atlantic, 30 Dec. 2025

The painter Thomas Patch pokes Titian’s Venus but doesn’t look at it—he is too taken with The Wrestlers. —Jackson Arn, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

Middle English paynter, probably from Middle French dialect (Normandy) pentoir, penteur clothesline, from pendre to hang — more at pendant

Noun (3)

alteration of panther

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

circa 1764, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing painter

• painter's colic

Rhymes for painter

• fainter

Kids Definition

painter

1 of 3 noun

paint·​er ˈpānt-ər 

: one that paints

especially : an artist who paints

painter

2 of 3 noun

pain·​ter

: a line used for attaching or towing a boat

painter

3 of 3 noun

pain·​ter

: cougar

Etymology

Noun

from paint (verb) and -er (noun suffix)

Noun

Middle English paynter "a line used for securing a boat," probably from early French pentoir, penteur "clothesline"

Noun

an altered form of panther