magnum opus
noun
Did you know?
You may recognize magnum (meaning "great") as a Latin word that shows up in altered forms in several English words, and perhaps you can also come up with a few words that are related to opus ("work"). Magnitude, magnanimous, opulent, and operate are some obvious relations of the two. Magnum opus, which entered English in the 18th century, retains the original Latin spelling and the literal meaning "great work." Although the term most often refers to literary, musical, or artistic productions, it has been used to describe many kinds of great works, including games, construction projects, and even surgical techniques.
Examples of magnum opus in a Sentence
Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2024
Swift has 18 shows left on her two-year magnum opus.
—Bryan West, USA TODAY, 7 Oct. 2024
The word unique is used way too much nowadays, but La Sagrada Familia, Antoni Gaudí’s magnum opus in Barcelona, is a rare architectural marvel that really is one-of-a-kind.
—Michael Y. Park, Architectural Digest, 23 Sep. 2024
Seeing Frazier’s seminal series unfold Seeing her magnum opus of a series unfold throughout these first galleries helps solidify the importance of her legacy right away.
—Shameekia Shantel Johnson, ARTnews.com, 7 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for magnum opus 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'magnum opus.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Magnum opus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/magnum%20opus. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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magnum opus
noun
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