painter
PAYN-tuh
Painter (noun) means an artist who paints pictures. Example: “The painter set up her easel on the hillside and began to sketch the valley.”
noun
1
An artist who paints pictures.
"The painter set up her easel on the hillside and began to sketch the valley."
"A famous painter once lived in this little cottage by the sea."
"The painter spent hours mixing the right shade of green."
2
A tradesperson who paints walls, buildings, or other surfaces for a living.
"The painter arrived early with ladders, brushes and several large tins of white paint."
"My uncle works as a painter and decorator, mostly on houses and shops."
"We hired a painter to redo the hallway."
3
A rope attached to the bow of a small boat, used for tying it up or towing it.
"Before stepping ashore, she looped the painter around the post and pulled it tight."
"Without a painter, the little rowing boat drifted slowly away from the jetty."
"He grabbed the painter and tied the dinghy to the dock."
How to use painter
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomeone who paints (art or houses), or the rope used to tether a small boat.
Common mistake
The boat-rope sense trips up most readers — it has nothing to do with painting.
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like painter.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- painters
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ set up her easel on the hillside and began to sketch the valley.
Etymology
From Middle English paynter, built from paint plus the agent suffix -er.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for painter
See all rhymes for painter →Frequently asked questions
What does “painter” mean?
The word “painter” means an artist who paints pictures. In plain terms, someone who paints (art or houses), or the rope used to tether a small boat.
How do you pronounce “painter”?
“Painter” is pronounced PAYN-tuh (/ˈpeɪntɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “painter” in a sentence?
Here is “painter” used in a sentence: “The painter spent hours mixing the right shade of green.”
What part of speech is “painter”?
“Painter” is a noun.
Where does the word “painter” come from?
The word “painter” comes from Middle English. From Middle English paynter, built from paint plus the agent suffix -er.
Is “painter” a common word?
“Painter” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “painter” have?
“Painter” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an artist who paints pictures.
What is the difference between a 'painter' and a 'decorator'?
In British English, a 'painter and decorator' is a tradesperson who paints and finishes the inside and outside of buildings. Strictly, a painter applies paint, while a decorator may also hang wallpaper and handle other surface finishes, though the two jobs usually overlap.
What is the difference between a 'painter' and an 'artist'?
An 'artist' is a general term for anyone who creates art, which could include sculptors, musicians, or writers. A 'painter' is more specific, referring to an artist who works in paint, or alternatively to a tradesperson who paints buildings.
What is a 'painter' on a boat?
On a boat, the 'painter' is a rope attached to the bow, the front, used to tie the boat up to a dock or to tow it. This meaning is unrelated to painting with a brush.
How do you know whether 'painter' means an artist or a house painter?
Context usually makes it clear: the artist sense appears alongside galleries, styles, or pictures, while the tradesperson sense is linked to jobs like decorating rooms or painting fences. When it matters, people specify 'house painter' or 'portrait painter' to avoid confusion.
