ukiyo-e
noun
uki·yo-e
ü-ˌkē-ō-ˈyā 
-ˈā
variants
or less commonly ukiyo-ye
: a Japanese art movement that flourished from the 17th to the 19th century and produced paintings and prints depicting the everyday life and interests of the common people
also
: the paintings and prints themselves
Examples of ukiyo-e in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Not all ukiyo-e would have been so acceptable to the government.
—
Lori Waxman, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2025
The Nakasendō’s busy towns provided ample material for their work in the ukiyo-e genre, which documented leisurely pursuits and landscapes during the last centuries of Japan’s isolation from international affairs.
—Hannah Walhout, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 2025
The next subsection jumps to quilting in the United States, followed by brief interludes on the Hopi-Tewa potter Nampeyo, the Native and African American sculptor Edmonia Lewis, and the Japanese ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Ōi.
—Jillian Steinhauer, The New Republic, 21 Aug. 2023
On a visit to Japan, he was introduced to the ukiyo-e, or woodblock prints, of the master artist Hokusai.
—Angelica Aboulhosn, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Aug. 2023
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Lori Waxman, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2025
The Nakasendō’s busy towns provided ample material for their work in the ukiyo-e genre, which documented leisurely pursuits and landscapes during the last centuries of Japan’s isolation from international affairs.
—Hannah Walhout, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 2025
The next subsection jumps to quilting in the United States, followed by brief interludes on the Hopi-Tewa potter Nampeyo, the Native and African American sculptor Edmonia Lewis, and the Japanese ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Ōi.
—Jillian Steinhauer, The New Republic, 21 Aug. 2023
On a visit to Japan, he was introduced to the ukiyo-e, or woodblock prints, of the master artist Hokusai.
—Angelica Aboulhosn, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Aug. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Ukiyo-e.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ukiyo-e. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share