easel

noun

ea·​sel ˈē-zəl How to pronounce easel (audio)
: a frame for supporting something (such as an artist's canvas)

Illustration of easel

Illustration of easel

Examples of easel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Across from her daughter's bed, Wu opted for a light wood table and wooden easel, adding a wooden dollhouse on the radiator. Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2024 For the everyday artist At just 10 inches tall and weighing less than a pound, this collection of watercolor paints is small enough to tote anywhere inspiration may strike, with a lid that doubles as an easel for a 5-by-7-inch piece of paper. Sarah Grossbart, wsj.com, 14 Dec. 2023 Display the finished photo project on a mini easel. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Dec. 2023 Mourners arriving for the funeral were greeted near the door of the red brick church by a large photo of Wilkinson propped up on an easel. Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2023 Between the sign and the mural is an easel with the original 1964–65 run of the first Joe action figures (don’t ever call them dolls). Matt Farwell, Harper's Magazine, 13 Dec. 2023 A week later, a few more people came to the art program where a large easel had been set up on the recreation center lawn. Lola Sherman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Dec. 2023 Unlike easel painting or classical ballet, photography is a fixture of the everyday world. Anahid Nersessian, The New York Review of Books, 28 Dec. 2023 The other is in a gilded frame and hangs behind the easel — not just on the wall but skied, way up at the edge of the ceiling, like a helium balloon floating away. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'easel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Dutch ezel, literally, "donkey," going back to Middle Dutch esel, going back to Germanic *asil- (whence Old Saxon & Old High German esil "donkey," Old English esol, eosol, Gothic asilus), altered from Latin asinus — more at ass entry 1

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of easel was in 1596

Dictionary Entries Near easel

Cite this Entry

“Easel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/easel. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

easel

noun
ea·​sel ˈē-zəl How to pronounce easel (audio)
: a frame for supporting something (as an artist's canvas)
Etymology

from Dutch ezel "a frame to hold an artist's canvas," literally, "donkey"

Word Origin
An easel is a frame for holding up such things as an artist's painting or a chalkboard. In the 17th century the Dutch had become famous throughout Europe for their oil painting. Thus it was their word ezel, which they used to refer to this piece of equipment, that was borrowed into English at that time. This sense of ezel was an extension of the original meaning "donkey," probably because an easel, like a beast of burden, is used to hold things.

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