It's borrowed from French and ultimately derives from the Latin word opera, which is the plural of opus, meaning “work.” (Oeuvre also appears in the French-derived term hors d'oeuvres, which literally translates to “outside the work,” referring to appetizers that are not part of the main course.)
What does oeuvre mean?
: a substantial body of work constituting the lifework of a writer, an artist, or a composer a catalogue of Rembrandt's oeuvre scrupulously examines Dickens' oeuvre in order to demonstrate how his convictions helped to determine the shape of his novels— G. J. Worth.
How do you use the word oeuvre?
Oeuvre in a Sentence ?
- The painter's oeuvre includes over forty paintings and is characterized by the artist's vivid depiction of nature.
- Since the memorial concert will feature numerous hits from the singer's oeuvre, it is going to last for several hours.
