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still life
noun
plural still lifes
1
: a picture consisting predominantly of inanimate objects
2
: the category of graphic arts concerned with inanimate subject matter
Examples of still life in a Sentence
an exhibit of still lifes
She prefers portraiture to still life.
Recent Examples on the Web
Inspired by Martin Johnson Heade’s Cattleya Orchid with Two Hummingbirds (ca. 1880s), which blurs the line between still life and landscape painting, Ramirez created several mixed-media paintings that focus on the legacies of colonialism, particularly through the lens of tourism.
—Damaly Gonzalez, ARTnews.com, 26 Sep. 2024
On the second floor of the show, Grief/Spring (2024), a 12-by-9-inch still life of daffodils in a vase, is the sole work in a gallery alcove, allowing for an intimate viewing moment.
—Stephanie Sporn, Vogue, 16 Sep. 2024
The irreverent campaign pairs drawings by British artist David Shrigley, best known for his sly social commentary, with the surreal still lifes that Swiss photographer Raymond Meier shot in response to them.
—Lisa Lockwood, WWD, 7 Oct. 2024
Western governments and civil society should encourage the creative potential of Russian exiles, from the social scientists and journalists making sense of Putinism to the poets writing sonnets and the painters producing still lifes.
—Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 18 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for still life
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'still life.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1695, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Articles Related to still life
Dictionary Entries Near still life
Cite this Entry
“Still life.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/still%20life. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
still life
noun
plural still lifes
: a picture of an arrangement of objects
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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