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Definition of paintbrush

paintbrush

/ˈpeɪnt.brʌʃ/
paint · brush
Plural:paintbrushes
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paintbrush Lexical Profile

paintbrush Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A tool consisting of bristles, hair, or synthetic fibers set into a handle, used for applying paint, ink, or similar liquids to a surface.

Example

"The artist carefully selected a fine-tipped paintbrush to add delicate details to her landscape painting."

2

North American A wild herbaceous plant of the genus Castilleja, native primarily to the western Americas, characterized by its brightly colored, brush-like floral bracts.

Example

"While hiking through the alpine meadows of Colorado, we spotted vibrant red patches of Indian paintbrush."

Photo by 8bit12man / CC BY 4.0
Synonyms
View all synonyms for paintbrush

• Nearby Words

paintball
paintballer
paintbox
paintbrush
painted bronzeback
painted bunting
painted daisy

Word Origin & Etymology

A compound word formed in late Middle English from 'paint' (derived from Old French 'peint') and 'brush' (from Old French 'brosse').

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Paintbrush. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/paintbrush
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