masterpiece

/ˈmæstɚˌpis/

//ˈmæstɚˌpis// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"masterpiece" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“masterpiece” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #9,495 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#9,495
frequency rank, English
11
letters
16
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A piece of work that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career.

Key facts for masterpiece
PropertyValue
Headwordmasterpiece
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈmæstɚˌpis/
Letters11
Frequency rank#9,495
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “masterpiece” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). masterpiece lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for masterpiece is 11 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈmæstɚˌpis/. Corpus data places it at rank #9,495 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for masterpiece, with forms such as "amsterpiece", "masetrpiece", and "massterpiece". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. No close-neighbour confusable shows up for this headword in our dataset, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From master + piece, a calque of Dutch meesterstuk or German Meisterstück (“masterpiece”). Piecewise doublet of maestropiece and masterstick. Compare also journeyman's piece. The correct English form is masterpiece, spelled M-A-S-T-E-R-P-I-E-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    A piece of work that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career.
  2. 2
    A work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship.
  3. 3
    A work created in order to qualify as a master craftsman and member of a guild.

Etymology

From master + piece, a calque of Dutch meesterstuk or German Meisterstück (“masterpiece”). Piecewise doublet of maestropiece and masterstick. Compare also journeyman's piece.

Synonyms

chef d'œuvremagnum opusmasterworkmasterpiecepièce de résistancework of art

Antonyms

piece of junktrash

This word in other languages

chef-d'œuvre(Français)Meisterstück(Deutsch)obra prima(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: amsterpiece,masetrpiece,massterpiece,mastepriece,masteripece,masterpeice,masterpicee,masterpiecce,masterpieec,masterppiece,masterrpiece,mastrepiece,mastterpiece,matserpiece,mmasterpiece,msaterpiece

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of masterpiece - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

amsterpiece2masetrpiece2massterpiece1mastepriece2masteripece2masterpeice2masterpicee2masterpiecce1
Edit distance from "masterpiece"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "masterpiece"?
"masterpiece" is spelled M-A-S-T-E-R-P-I-E-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmæstɚˌpis/.
What does "masterpiece" mean?
As a noun, "masterpiece" means: A piece of work that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career.
What are common misspellings of "masterpiece"?
Common misspellings include "amsterpiece", "masetrpiece", "massterpiece", "mastepriece", "masteripece". The correct spelling is "masterpiece".
How do you pronounce "masterpiece"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "masterpiece" is /ˈmæstɚˌpis/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "masterpiece"?
From master + piece, a calque of Dutch meesterstuk or German Meisterstück (“masterpiece”). Piecewise doublet of maestropiece and masterstick. Compare also journeyman's piece. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “masterpiece”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is M-A-S-T-E-R-P-I-E-C-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈmæstɚˌpis/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list