Meaning & use
still life
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Meanings
nouncountable or uncountable
a painting or photograph of objects such as fruit, flowers, or bowls arranged together.
Grammar: Countable when it means one work ('a still life'), uncountable when it means the genre ('a master of still life').
Patterns
- paint a still life
- a still life of something
- still life painting
She painted a still life of lemons and a blue jug.
The gallery has a whole room of still lifes from the 1700s.
He prefers still life to landscapes because he can control the light.
noununcountabletechnical
the style or subject of painting ordinary objects that do not move.
Grammar: No article in this sense: 'She works in still life.'
Patterns
- work in still life
- the tradition of still life
The exhibition traces still life from the Dutch masters to modern photography.
In art class we studied still life before trying portraits.
Word forms
| plural | still lifes |
|---|
Common combinations
- a still life painting
- The wall was hung with a small still life painting.
- paint a still life
- He paints a still life every morning before breakfast.
- a still life of fruit
- The menu cover shows a still life of fruit and bread.
- still life photography
- She teaches still life photography at the college.
Synonyms and how they differ
- nature morte
- The French term used in some art writing; 'still life' is the normal English word.
Word family
- still-life adjective
- Used before a noun, as in 'a still-life composition'.
Commonly confused: still life or still life?
still life vs still life
Remember the plural is 'still lifes' when you mean several paintings, not 'still lives,' which would suggest living things.
Practice
Which sentence uses the plural correctly?
Choose one answer.
The plural of the noun is 'still lifes' when it means several artworks. 'Still lives' suggests living things, and the other two options are not correct plural forms.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “still life”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.