World Languages Lexicon
10 Language-to-English DictionariesMagnum opus
/ˈmæɡ.nəm ˈoʊ.pəs/Comprehensive Definitions & Senses
2 senses- 1
The most important, brilliant, or greatest work of an artist, writer, composer, or thinker.
"The sprawling historical novel was widely considered to be the author's magnum opus." - 2
A vast and masterly piece of creative or scientific undertaking.
"Building the complex architectural cathedral was the master mason's lifelong magnum opus."
Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum
Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology
Borrowed directly from Latin, where 'magnum' means great and 'opus' means work. Entering English usage via artistic and literary discourse during the 18th century, the term originally denoted the ultimate achievement in alchemical transmutation before expanding to signify the greatest artistic, literary, or scholarly creation of a person's career.
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10 Global Lexicons: How "Magnum opus" is said worldwide
Click any language below to open its dedicated Language to English dictionary page with native script & transliteration
chef-d'œuvre
Transliteration: シェfdœvʁ
"Ce tableau est considéré comme son chef-d'œuvre absolu."
Meisterwerk
Transliteration: ˈmaɪ̯stɐˌvɛʁk
"Dieser Roman gilt als das Meisterwerk des Autors."
capolavoro
Transliteration: kapolaˈvɔro
"Il dipinto è il vero capolavoro del Rinascimento."
obra maestra
Transliteration: ˈoβɾa maˈestɾa
"La novela es considerada su obra maestra."
obra-prima
Transliteration: ˈɔbɾa ˈpɾimɐ
"A sinfonia é a obra-prima do compositor."
उत्कृष्ट कृति
Transliteration: utkrisht kriti
"यह उपन्यास लेखक की उत्कृष्ट कृति है।"
杰作
Transliteration: jié zuò
"这部交响乐被公认为他的不朽杰作。"
걸작
Transliteration: geol-jak
"그화가의 마지막 작품은 진정한 걸작이다."
傑作
Transliteration: kessaku
"その映画は彼のキャリアにおける最高の傑作である。"
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Not producing or containing venom; incapable of injecting poison through a bite, sting, or other mechanism.
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