oeuvre

noun

oeu·​vre ˈu̇-vrə How to pronounce oeuvre (audio)
ˈər-,
ˈə-,
ˈœ- How to pronounce oeuvre (audio)
plural oeuvres ˈu̇-vrə How to pronounce oeuvre (audio)
ˈə(r)-,
ˈœ- How to pronounce oeuvre (audio)
: a substantial body of work constituting the lifework of a writer, an artist, or a composer
a catalogue of Rembrandt's oeuvre
scrupulously examines Dickens' oeuvre in order to demonstrate how his convictions helped to determine the shape of his novelsG. J. Worth

Examples of oeuvre in a Sentence

a novel that occupies a relatively minor position in the author's oeuvre
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The two words encapsulated the oeuvre of Stewart, then a model turned Wall Street stockbroker turned caterer. Mel Studach, Architectural Digest, 5 Nov. 2024 Visitors can embark on a journey through Amaral’s oeuvre from the 1960s to now, with many pieces being shown outside of Colombia for the first time. Lee Sharrock, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024 For scaredy cats out there who might be a little hesitant to try out Ito’s other work, Cat Diary is a perfect way to dip your toes into Ito’s oeuvre without worrying about any bad dreams. Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2024 In addition to displaying her oeuvre, the museum has rounded up her various cultural and stylistic influences from Black Power Movement ephemera to pre-Hispanic sculptural references, pinpointing how Catlett’s intersectional politics were syncretic with her formal techniques. Shameekia Shantel Johnson, ARTnews.com, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for oeuvre 

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, literally, "work," going back to Old French ovre, going back to Latin opera "activity, effort, attention, work," collective derivative from oper-, opus "work, effort, product of labor" — more at opus

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of oeuvre was in 1889

Dictionary Entries Near oeuvre

Cite this Entry

“Oeuvre.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oeuvre. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

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