impressionism
impressionism Lexical Profile
impressionism Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A late nineteenth-century movement in visual art, originating in France, characterized by visible brushstrokes, open composition, and an emphasis on the accurate depiction of shifting light and color to capture immediate visual impressions.
"The museum's new wing is dedicated to French impressionism and features several masterpieces by Claude Monet and Edgar Degas."
A style of musical composition or literature that seeks to evoke moods, sensory impressions, and atmosphere rather than detailed narrative structure or strict formal patterns.
"Claude Debussy's orchestral works are celebrated as prime examples of musical impressionism, using rich harmonies to suggest water and light."
The practice of forming or expressing judgments, descriptions, or accounts based on subjective, general impressions rather than rigorous analysis or objective facts.
"The historian criticized the biography for relying on nostalgic impressionism rather than verifiable archival evidence."
• Rhymes for impressionism
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from French 'impressionnisme', which was coined derisively by the art critic Louis Leroy in 1874 after viewing Claude Monet's painting 'Impression, soleil levant' ('Impression, Sunrise').