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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Created around 1620, a still life by Jan Breughel the Elder—son of Flemish Renaissance painter Peter Breughel the Elder—is the first European floral still life to enter the Huntington’s collection. — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 16 Oct. 2026 Its counters are crowded with plants and flowers in various states of decay, stacks of plates, fruit and Venezuelan snacks like tins of Pirulin cookies, all styled like a Dutch still life. — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 Working in charcoal and conté crayon two days a week for an entire year—600 hours—the young student achieved a remarkable level of photographic verisimilitude in the still life. — Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2026 In some ways Bartlow mirrors the choice of some fine dining chefs in Spain to trade perfectly plated still lifes for deep, homey flavors that cover every inch of the table. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for still life

Word History

First Known Use

1695, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of still life was in 1695

Rhymes for still life

See All Rhymes for still life

Browse Nearby Words

still less
still life
still liquor
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Still life.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/still%20life. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

still life

noun
plural still lifes
: a picture of an arrangement of objects
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