sculpture
/ˈskʌlp.tʃər/A work of art made by shaping stone, wood, metal, clay, or another material. It can be a small object or a large artwork shown in a museum or public place.
- We saw a marble sculpture in the gallery.
- The park has a new sculpture near the entrance.
- She studies sculpture at art school.
To form or carve something into a shape, especially as art. It also means to shape a material carefully with tools or hands.
- He sculpted the clay into a face.
- Artists sculpt the stone very slowly.
- She sculpted a small animal from wood.
Adinary Nuance
Sculpture is the general word for a three-dimensional work of art. It is broader than statue, which usually means a figure of a person or animal. It is also different from carving, which focuses more on the action or on works made by cutting material. In art writing, sculpture sounds more formal and complete than model or figure.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- điêu khắc
- Spanish
- escultura
- Chinese
- 雕塑
- Japanese
- 彫刻
- Korean
- 조각
Etymology
Sculpture comes from Latin sculptura, from sculpere meaning 'to carve'. The word entered English in the late Middle Ages through French and Latin.
Common phrases
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is sculpture a countable noun?
- Yes. You can say "a sculpture" or "two sculptures".
- What is the difference between sculpture and statue?
- A statue is usually a figure of a person or animal. Sculpture is the wider word for 3D art.
- Can sculpture be a verb?
- Yes. It means to shape material into a form, especially as art.
- Is sculpture used in academic English?
- Yes. It is common in art, museum, and academic writing.