oeuvre
/ˈɜː.vrə/ IELTSAcademic
noun
A person's complete body of creative work, especially that of a writer, artist, or composer. It is often used in formal or literary contexts.
- Her early novels are important in her oeuvre.
- The exhibition covered his entire oeuvre.
- This film is a key part of the director's oeuvre.
Adinary Nuance
Oeuvre is more formal than work or output. Writers use it when they mean the full artistic life’s work of one person, not one single piece. It also sounds more literary than body of work, which is the common everyday phrase.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- tác phẩm
- Spanish
- obra
- Chinese
- 作品
- Japanese
- 作品
- Korean
- 작품
Etymology
From French oeuvre, meaning “work,” from Latin opera. English took it in the 19th century, especially in art and literary criticism.
Common phrases
entire oeuvremajor oeuvreartist's oeuvre
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is oeuvre a common word in everyday English?
- No. It is mostly used in art, literature, and academic writing.
- What is the difference between oeuvre and body of work?
- They are close, but body of work is more common and natural in everyday English.
- Can I use oeuvre for one painting or one book?
- Usually no. It means the complete work of one person, or a large part of it.
- Is oeuvre formal?
- Yes. It sounds formal and literary.