plein air

adjective \ ˌplān-ˈer ; ple-ˈner \

Updated on: 21 Apr 2018

Definition of plein air

1 : of or relating to painting in outdoor daylight

2 : of or relating to a branch of impressionism that attempts to represent outdoor light and air

—

pleinairism

play \plā-ˈner-ˌi-zəm, ple-\ noun

—

pleinairist

play \plā-ˈner-ist, ple-\ noun

Recent Examples of plein air from the Web

The plein air paintings by Mona Stratos have brought the world inside to the Spirol Gallery, at Quinebaug Valley Community College.

— denise coffey, Courant Community, "Painter Mona Stratos Brings World Inside To Spirol Gallery," 12 Apr. 2018
Dressed in a Gallic striped top and flared jeans, the Parisian expat nestles into a garden chair, spreading out products on a cloth napkin like a plein air picnic.

— laura regensdorf, Vogue, "YouTube Star Violette Is About to Invade Your Makeup Bag—Starting with This Poppy Red Lipstick," 20 Mar. 2018
This plein air exhibit of street art is soon coming to an end, though; the building is to be demolished to make way for condominiums.

— alexander nazaryan, Newsweek, "Street Art's New Class War," 14 Oct. 2013
Broderick, a plein air painter, gave demonstrations throughout the afternoon.

— kitty leshay, Courant Community, "The Mill Works An Art, Music, History Venue," 12 Dec. 2017
Many of the small works in this show are a result of several years of plein air painting.

— Courant Community, "Community News For The Valley Edition," 18 Sep. 2017
The sky color-washed in pastels as dusk creeps over the San Gabriels, the tableau is a plein air landscape come to life.

— tom verducci, SI.com, "The Astros and Dodgers Exemplify Contemporary Baseball. Now, They Meet in the World Series.," 23 Oct. 2017
Across the gallery from those nocturnes are impressionist en plein air landscapes, wildly colored like the fauvists, dominated by cotton-candy pink and canary yellow.

— susan dunne, courant.com, "Eclectic Work Of Greenwich Artist Dmitri Wright At Mattatuck," 25 Sep. 2017
Markey now engages in plein air style painting with Granby friends on Monday afternoons.

— Courant Community, "Community News For The Valley Edition," 18 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'plein air.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of plein air

French, open air

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1894

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plein air

French adjective \ ple-ner \

Definition of plein air

: open-air : outdoor

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