Jump to content

magnum opus

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

From Latin magnum opus (great work).[1]

Pronunciation

[edit]

Noun

[edit]
Examples

magnum opus (plural magna opera or magnum opuses or (nonstandard) magnum opi)

  1. A great or important work of literature, music or art, a masterpiece.
  2. The best, most popular, or most renowned achievement of an author or artist, representing their major life effort.
    The 1949 novel Nineteen Eighty-Four is widely considered to be George Orwell's magnum opus.
  3. (alchemy) The process of working with the prima materia to create the philosopher's stone.

Usage notes

[edit]

The Latin plural magna opera may be preferred in some academic and literary contexts; in popular usage the English-style plural magnum opuses is more common. The plural magnum opi, although rare and likely regarded as incorrect in formal works, does see some use.

Synonyms

[edit]

Translations

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ “magnum opus”, in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin, 2000, →ISBN.

Further reading

[edit]

Anagrams

[edit]

Polish

[edit]
Polish Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia pl

Alternative forms

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

Unadapted borrowing from Latin magnum opus.

Pronunciation

[edit]
  • IPA(key): /ˈmaɡ.num ˈɔ.pus/
  • Syllabification: mag‧num o‧pus

Noun

[edit]

magnum opus n (indeclinable)

  1. magnum opus (masterpiece)
  2. magnum opus (greatest work of an author or artist)
  3. (alchemy) magnum opus (process of working with the prima materia to create the philosopher's stone)

Further reading

[edit]
  • magnum opus in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
  • magnum opus in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Swedish

[edit]
Swedish Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia sv

Etymology

[edit]

From Latin magnum opus.

Noun

[edit]

magnum opus n

  1. magnum opus (great(est) work)

Declension

[edit]

This entry needs an inflection-table template.