sculpture
gb/skˈʌlpt͡ʃɚ/ us/skˈʌlpt͡ʃɚ/
B1
English
~ 7800
szobor, szobrászati alkotás, szobrászat, szobrot készít, megformáz, formál, alakít, erodál
NOUN
B1
1
szobor
A2
Usage pattern:
a sculpture of [someone/something]
The museum has a famous bronze sculpture of a running horse.
A múzeumban látható egy híres bronzszobor, amely egy futó lovat ábrázol.
She bought a small stone sculpture of a bird at the local art fair.
A helyi művészeti vásáron vett egy madarat ábrázoló kis kőszobrot.
Tourists lined up to take photos with the giant sculpture in front of the library.
The artist created a haunting sculpture of hands reaching out of the ground.
An abstract steel sculpture stands in the center of the university campus.
Learner examples
There is a big sculpture of a lion in the park.
A parkban van egy nagy oroszlánszobor.
He made a sculpture of his dog for an art class.
Művészeti órára szobrot készített a kutyájáról.
We looked at a stone sculpture in the museum.
The new sculpture in front of our school is very tall.
She wants to sell her sculpture in an art show.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "sculpture" and "statue." A "statue" is usually a full figure of a person or animal, while "sculpture" is a more general word for any three-dimensional artwork, including statues, abstract pieces, and small figures. Learners also sometimes say *"a sculpture from a man"* when they mean *"a sculpture of a man"*; use "of" to show what the artwork represents.
Meaning
a statue or 3D artwork
Collocations
a sculpture of [someone]
|public sculpture
|bronze sculpture
|marble sculpture
|abstract sculpture
|life-size sculpture
Synonyms
statue (Often refers specifically to a full-length figure of a person or animal, usually standing, and is slightly more everyday than "sculpture.")
|
figure (A more general term for a shaped human or animal form; not always used strictly in an art context.)
|
carving (Emphasizes that the artwork was made by cutting away material, often wood or stone.)
Antonyms
painting (A two-dimensional artwork made with paint on a flat surface, contrasting with three-dimensional sculpture.)
Themes
art
|culture
|visual_arts
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A piece of art that has shape in three dimensions, like a statue, made by cutting or forming a material.
A three-dimensional work of art, such as a statue or figure, made by carving, modeling, or assembling materials.
NOUN
B2
2
szobrászat
B1
Usage pattern:
[someone] studies sculpture
She decided to specialize in sculpture at art school.
Úgy döntött, hogy a művészeti iskolában szobrászatra szakosodik.
Sculpture and painting are taught in separate studios at the academy.
Az akadémián a szobrászatot és a festészetet külön műtermekben tanítják.
The gallery focuses on contemporary sculpture from local artists.
He teaches introductory sculpture to first-year students.
The exhibition traces the history of modern sculpture in Europe.
Learner examples
She is studying sculpture at the university.
Szobrászatot tanul az egyetemen.
He likes sculpture more than painting.
Jobban szereti a szobrászatot, mint a festészetet.
The school offers a course in sculpture.
Modern sculpture can be hard to understand.
She wants to learn sculpture next year.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use a plural form *"sculptures"* when talking about the art form, as in *"I like sculptures"*, when they really mean the general art type. In that case, use the uncountable form: "I like sculpture." Use the plural "sculptures" when you are talking about individual artworks.
Meaning
the art of making sculptures
Collocations
study sculpture
|major in sculpture
|modern sculpture
|figurative sculpture
|abstract sculpture
|sculpture studio
Synonyms
sculpting (Informal gerund form; focuses more on the process of doing the activity than the established art form.)
|
sculptural art (More technical or formal phrase that highlights sculpture as a branch of visual art.)
Antonyms
painting (Represents a different main branch of visual art, typically two-dimensional, as opposed to the three-dimensional art of sculpture.)
Themes
art
|education
|culture
|arts_entertainment
Definition
The type of art where people make three-dimensional objects, like statues, by cutting or shaping a material.
The art form or practice of creating three-dimensional artworks by carving, modeling, or assembling materials.
VERB
C1
FORMAL
3
megformáz
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone] sculptures [something] from [material]
The artist spent months sculpturing a delicate figure from marble.
A művész hónapokat töltött azzal, hogy márványból kifaragjon egy finoman kidolgozott alakot.
She plans to sculpture a series of small heads in clay for the exhibition.
Azt tervezi, hogy a kiállításra agyagból kis fejek sorozatát mintázza meg.
He loves to sculpture animals from wood in his spare time.
The students were asked to sculpture a human hand using only basic tools.
They commissioned a local artist to sculpture a memorial for the town square.
Learner examples
The artist will sculpture a new statue for the park.
A művész új szobrot készít majd a parkba.
She wants to sculpture a face from clay.
Agyagból szeretne egy arcot megformázni.
He learned how to sculpture figures in his art class.
They asked her to sculpture a bird from wood.
He tried to sculpture a small dog but it was difficult.
Common mistake:
Learners often use the verb *"sculpt"* instead of *"sculpture"*, or think *"sculpture"* cannot be a verb. In modern English, "sculpt" is far more common and is usually the better choice: say "She sculpted a horse," not *"She sculptured a horse"* in everyday language.
Meaning
to shape something into a sculpture
Collocations
sculpture a figure
|sculpture a face
|carefully sculpture
|sculptured by hand
|finely sculptured
Synonyms
sculpt (More common modern verb; used in both everyday and professional art contexts.)
|
carve (Focuses on cutting away material; not limited to art and can be used for practical objects.)
|
model (Highlights shaping a soft material like clay; may be technical in art contexts.)
Antonyms
destroy (Opposite in the sense of ruining or breaking something instead of forming it into art.)
Themes
art
|creation
|crafts
|arts_entertainment
|education
Definition
To make a piece of art with shape, like a statue, by cutting or forming a material.
To create a three-dimensional artwork by carving, modeling, or otherwise shaping a material.
VERB
C2
TECHNICAL
4
Usage pattern:
[natural forces] sculpture [a landscape/surface]
Over millions of years, glaciers have sculptured the valley into a wide U-shape.
Évmilliók alatt a gleccserek széles U alakúvá formálták a völgyet.
Ocean waves continually sculpture the coastline, creating new cliffs and arches.
Az óceán hullámai folyamatosan formálják a partvonalat, új sziklafalakat és sziklakapukat hozva létre.
Wind and sand have sculptured the rocks into strange, delicate forms.
The river has sculptured a deep channel through the soft limestone.
Erosion has sculptured the plateau into a series of dramatic ridges.
Learner examples
Glaciers slowly sculpture the land over time.
A gleccserek idővel lassan formálják a tájat.
The river helps sculpture the valley.
A folyó is segít formálni a völgyet.
Waves sculpture the shape of the beach.
Strong wind can sculpture rocks in the desert.
Water and ice sculpture many mountains.
Meaning
to shape land by erosion
Collocations
glaciers sculpture the valley
|rivers sculpture the landscape
|waves sculpture the coast
|wind-sculptured rock formations
Synonyms
erode (Focuses on wearing away material, while "sculpture" highlights the resulting shape of the landform.)
|
carve (Often used metaphorically for nature shaping land, e.g. "rivers carved the canyon.")
Antonyms
deposit (Describes adding material to a surface, which can build it up instead of cutting it away and shaping it.)
Themes
science
|geography
|nature
Definition
To slowly shape land or rock by wind, water, ice, or other natural forces.
To form or shape a land surface or other natural feature through the action of erosion, weathering, or other natural forces.
Grammar
Dictionary form
sculpture
IPA
GB/skˈʌlpt͡ʃɚ/
US/skˈʌlpt͡ʃɚ/
Syllables & stress
sculp - ture (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (sculp)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: sculpture
- Plural: sculpture, sculptures
Verb
- Base: sculpture
- 3rd Person Singular: sculptures
- Present Participle: sculpturing
- Past: sculptured
Word family
Forms
sculptures
noun
sculpturing
verb
sculptured
verb
Core family
sculpt
verb
sculptor
noun
Related words
sculptural
adjective
Advanced or less common
sculpturally
adverb
Expressions
abstract sculpture
1/ˈæbstɹækt skˈʌlpt͡ʃɚ/
fixed phrase
non-realistic, non-figurative sculpture
A sculpture that does not look like real people or things, but uses shapes and forms to express ideas.
Examples
- The park features an abstract sculpture made of twisted steel beams.
- She prefers abstract sculpture because it leaves more to the imagination.
bronze sculpture
1/bɹˈɑnz skˈʌlpt͡ʃɚ/
fixed phrase
sculpture cast or made in bronze
A sculpture made from bronze metal, often seen in museums or public places.
Examples
- The artist is best known for his bronze sculpture of a seated woman.
- Several bronze sculptures were stolen from the outdoor exhibition.
ice sculpture
1/ˈaɪs skˈʌlpt͡ʃɚ/
fixed phrase
decorative sculpture carved from ice
A piece of art made by cutting and shaping ice, often used for decoration at events.
Examples
- They had a huge ice sculpture of a swan at their wedding.
- The hotel lobby featured an ice sculpture that slowly melted during the party.
marble sculpture
1/mˈɑɹbəl skˈʌlpt͡ʃɚ/
fixed phrase
sculpture carved from marble stone
A sculpture made by cutting and shaping marble stone.
Examples
- The museum displays several marble sculptures from ancient Greece.
- He is working on a marble sculpture that will stand in front of the courthouse.
modern sculpture
1/mˈɑdɚn skˈʌlpt͡ʃɚ/
fixed phrase
sculpture made in modern styles
Sculpture made in newer artistic styles, often from the late 19th century to today.
Examples
- Some people find modern sculpture confusing, but others love its bold shapes.
- The exhibition focuses on modern sculpture made after 1950.
public sculpture
1/pˈʌblɪk skˈʌlpt͡ʃɚ/
fixed phrase
sculpture in a shared public area
A sculpture that is put in a place where everyone can see it, like a park or city square.
Examples
- The city has invested in new public sculpture to brighten the downtown area.
- Public sculpture can make a boring street feel more interesting and alive.
relief sculpture
1/ɹɪlˈif skˈʌlpt͡ʃɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
partly raised sculpture on a surface
A sculpture where shapes stand out from a flat wall or surface, but are still attached to it.
Examples
- The temple walls are covered with relief sculpture showing scenes from mythology.
- She studied different types of relief sculpture in her art history class.
sand sculpture
1/sˈænd skˈʌlpt͡ʃɚ/
fixed phrase
three-dimensional artwork made of sand
A three-dimensional picture or figure made by shaping wet sand, usually on a beach.
Examples
- The children spent the afternoon building an enormous sand sculpture on the beach.
- There is a sand sculpture festival in the town every summer.
sculpture garden
1/skˈʌlpt͡ʃɚ ɡˈɑɹdən/
fixed phrase
outdoor space for showing sculptures
An outdoor place, often in a park or museum, where many sculptures are displayed.
Examples
- We walked through the museum's sculpture garden in the afternoon sun.
- The new sculpture garden has benches where visitors can sit and enjoy the art.
stone sculpture
1/stˈoʊn skˈʌlpt͡ʃɚ/
fixed phrase
sculpture carved from stone
A sculpture made by cutting and shaping stone.
Examples
- Ancient stone sculptures were displayed along the temple walls.
- He is learning traditional techniques for making stone sculpture.