Standard Lemma guide

brushwork

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: B R AH1 SH W ER2 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The technique or practice of applying and manipulating paint (usually oil or gouache) in a painting.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

Qualifier: painting

Examples

  • The fake was easy to spot because of its inferior brushwork.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

an artist's distinctive technique of applying paint with a brush

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: proficiency, technique

History

Etymology

From brush + work.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 筆觸 /笔触 (bǐchù) — Translations
  • Chinese Mandarin: 筆法 /笔法 (bǐfǎ) — Translations