magnum opus

English

Etymology

From Latin magnum opus (“great work”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: măg'nəm ōʹpəs, IPA^(key): /ˌmæɡnəm ˈəʊpəs/
• (US) enPR: măg'nəm ōʹpəs, IPA^(key): /ˌmæɡnəm ˈoʊpəs/

Noun

Examples
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust

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

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

• masterpiece
• opus magnum

Translations

masterpiece

• Danish: mesterværk n
• Dutch: meesterwerk (nl) n
• Esperanto: majstroverko
• Finnish: mestariteos (fi), suurteos
• Galician: obra mestra f
• German: Meisterwerk (de) n
• Hindi: शाहकार (hi) (śāhkār), शहकार (hi) (śahkār), शाहपारा (śāhpārā), शहपारा (śahpārā)
• Indonesian: mahakarya (id), adikarya (id)
• Irish: ardsaothar m
• Japanese: 代表作 (ja) (daihyōsaku)
• Manx: ard-obbyr f
• Polish: magnum opus n, opus magnum n
• Portuguese: obra prima f
• Russian: шедевр (ru) m (šedevr)
• Spanish: obra maestra f
• Swedish: magnum opus

the greatest work of an author or artist

• Esperanto: majstroverko
• Finnish: pääteos
• French: magnum opus (fr) m, grand œuvre (fr) m
• Hindi: शाहकार (hi) (śāhkār), शहकार (hi) (śahkār), शाहपारा (śāhpārā), शहपारा (śahpārā)
• Irish: ardsaothar m
• Japanese: 畢生の大作 (hissei no taisaku)
• Polish: magnum opus n, opus magnum n
• Swedish: magnum opus

Further reading

• magnum opus on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• opus magnum

Polish

Alternative forms

• opus magnum

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Latin magnum opus.

Pronunciation

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

Noun

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

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

Swedish

Etymology

From Latin magnum opus.

Noun

magnum opus n

1. magnum opus (great(est) work)

Declension

This entry needs an inflection-table template.