plein air

1 of 3

adjective

ˌplān-ˈer 

ple-ˈner

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

plā-ˈner-ˌi-zəm 

ple-

noun

pleinairist

plā-ˈner-ist 

ple-

noun

plein air

2 of 3

French adjective

ple-ner 

: open-air : outdoor

pleinairism

3 of 3

noun

plein·​air·​ism plāˈna(a)ˌrizəm 

variants or pleinairisme

plenerēs(mᵊ), 

-ēz(mᵊ), 

-s(mə), 

-z(mə)

plural -s

: the study, action, or product of plein air painting

specifically : the plein air art movement in France

Examples of plein air in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The top sale of the day was by—who else—Hauser & Wirth, which sold Pablo Picasso’s 1963 painting en plein air for an impressive $35 million. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 16 June 2026

For seven days, plein air painters celebrate the area's tradition of outdoor painting. — Madeline Weinfield, Southern Living, 27 May 2026

The 50-room property replaces screen time with llama trekking, whitewater rafting, wood burning, candle making and plein air painting. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 16 May 2026

The city comptroller has launched an investigation into City Hall’s handing of outdoor dining permits, raising concerns about procedural holdups that could be preventing hundreds of restaurants from opening up en plein air seating this spring. — Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

French, open air

Noun

French pleinairisme, from plein air + -isme -ism

First Known Use

Adjective

1894, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for plein air

• abwehr
• affair
• affaire
• airfare
• altair
• armchair
• aware
• beware
• bugbear
• carfare
• childcare
• compare