painterly
/ˈpeɪn.tə.li/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Having the look or style of a painting. It is often used for writing, music, or images that feel rich, expressive, and artistic.
- Her description was vivid and painterly.
- The photograph has a soft, painterly feel.
- He used a painterly style in his portraits.
Adinary Nuance
Painterly is stronger and more visual than artistic. It suggests brush-like texture, rich color, or a style that feels like a painting. Writers often choose it for art criticism, photography, or visual descriptions, not for everyday praise. It is less common than words like artistic or expressive.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- giống tranh vẽ
- Spanish
- pictórico
- Chinese
- 绘画感的
- Japanese
- 絵画的な
- Korean
- 회화적인
Etymology
Painterly comes from painter, with the suffix -ly. It was used in English from the 19th century to describe art and later other creative work.
Common phrases
a painterly stylepainterly effectspainterly brushwork
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is painterly a common everyday word?
- No. It is more common in art writing, criticism, and descriptions of style.
- What is the difference between painterly and artistic?
- Painterly suggests a painted look or feel. Artistic is broader and can mean creative in many ways.
- Can I use painterly for photos?
- Yes. It can describe a photo that looks soft, colorful, or like a painting.