French word

impressionnisme

Pronunciation

IPA/ɛ̃pʁesjonizm/

Meaning

  • masculine nounimpressionism

Example

J'aime l'impressionnisme.

I like Impressionism.

Illustration for impressionnisme (impressionism)

More examples

On voit souvent l'impressionnisme dans les musées.

People often see Impressionism in museums.

Core concept

A canvas where shifting light and color, carried by visible brushstrokes, matters more than sharply drawn edges.

Common phrases

  • aimer l'impressionnisme

    be fond of Impressionism

  • parler de l'impressionnisme

    speak about Impressionism

Similar words

peinture: A work made by applying paint to a surface such as canvas or paper.
tableau: A single painting or other painted artwork.
peintre: A person who creates pictures with paint.
école: A group or tradition of artists sharing methods or ideas.

Definition in French

Mouvement artistique du XIXe siècle mettant l'accent sur la représentation des effets lumineux et des impressions visuelles par la couleur et la touche plutôt que par le rendu précis des contours.

Word origin

The word combines French impression, from Latin impressio, with -isme; its art use is popularized after Louis Leroy's 1874 review of Monet's Impression, soleil levant.

Usage tips

  • French uses masculine le: l'impressionnisme; the related adjective impressionniste has the same form for masculine and feminine nouns.

Related words

Word lists with this word