magnum opus

noun

ˈmag-nəm-ˈō-pəs How to pronounce magnum opus (audio)
Definition of magnum opusnext
as in masterpiece
something (as a work of art) that is a great achievement and often its creator's greatest achievement this symphony is usually considered Beethoven's magnum opus

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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.
Recent Examples of magnum opus At almost 1,500 pages, the most magnum of Italian magnum opuses was first printed in 1950. — Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 17 Aug. 2026 Sooper’s magnum opus to date is a three-disc retrospective of the polymathic composer, pianist, dancer and DIY stalwart Charles Joseph Smith, released in April. — Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026 In his 1801 magnum opus Disquisitiones Arithmeticae, German mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss wrote about a cyclical mystery. — Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 5 Aug. 2026 Now regarded as Paul Simon’s magnum opus, Graceland turns 40 this month—a fitting excuse for AIR MAIL to revisit it. — Air Mail, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for magnum opus
Recent Examples of Synonyms for magnum opus
masterpiece
Noun
  • After 144 years of construction, architect Antoni Gaudí’s masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia, was inaugurated this summer after the final piece of the Tower of Jesus Christ was installed in February.
    — Jaymi McCann, TheWeek, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Dating van Gogh’s Starry Night Vincent van Gogh’s masterpiece, The Starry Night (1889), has long fascinated art lovers and scientists like.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of masterpiece

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“Magnum opus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/magnum%20opus. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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