Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A great work, especially a literary or artistic masterpiece.
  • noun The greatest single work of an artist, writer, or composer.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A great work of art or literature.
  • noun The greatest work or achievement of a particular artist, writer, or other individual.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A great work of literature or art, a masterpiece.
  • noun The best, most popular, or most renowned achievement of an author or artist, representing his major life effort.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a great work of art or literature

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin : magnum, neuter of magnus, great + opus, work.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin magnum opus ("great work").

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Examples

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Comments

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  • a big Irish cat.

    July 14, 2008

  • This made me think of Magnum Opie... which, unfortunately, induced a fit of giggles. How sad is that?

    June 28, 2011

  • WORD: magnum opus

    EXAMPLE from Charlotte's Web:

    Next to her, attached to the ceiling, Wilbur saw a curious object. It was a sort of sac, or cocoon. It was peach-colored and looked as though it were made of cotton candy.

    "What is that nifty little thing? Did you make it? Is it a plaything?

    "Plaything? I should say not. It is my egg sac, my magnum opus."

    "I don't know what a magnum opus is," said Wilbur.

    "That's Latin," explained Charlotte. "It means 'great work.' This egg sac is my great work -- the finest thing I have ever made."

    "What's inside it? asked Wilbur. "Eggs?"

    "Five hundred and fourteen of them," she replied.

    -- 1952 E.B. WHITE. Charlotte's Web. Chapter XIX -- The Egg Sac (pages 144 - 145).

    September 28, 2013