impressionism

I1M3P3R1E1S1S1I1O1N1I1S1M3
/ɪmˈpɹɛʃənɪzəm/

noun

An art movement characterized by visible brushstrokes, ordinary subject matter, and an emphasis on light and its changing qualities.

OriginFrench impressionnisme ← Latin impressiōnem ← Proto-Italic *pres- →
Less commonScrabble 19
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Meanings

nounimpressionism (countable and uncountable, plural impressionisms)

plural impressionisms

  1. countableuncountableartAn art movement characterized by visible brushstrokes, ordinary subject matter, and an emphasis on light and its changing qualities.
  2. countableuncountableentertainmentA style that avoided traditional harmony, and sought to invoke the impressions of the composer.
  3. countableuncountablecommunicationsA style that used imagery and symbolism to portray the poet's impressions.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁én
  2. Proto-Italic*en
  3. Proto-Italic*en-
  4. Latinin-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*per-?
  6. Proto-Indo-European*pres-
  7. Proto-Italic*pres-
  8. Latinpremō
  9. Latinimprimō
  10. Latinimpressiōnem
  11. Frenchimpression
  12. Frenchimpressionnisme
  13. Englishimpressionism

From French impressionnisme.

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans impressionisme
  • impressionismemovement in art
Bulgarian импресионизъм, импресионизъм
  • импресионизъм (impresionizăm)movement in art
  • импресионизъм (impresionizăm)music: style
  • импресионизъм (impresionizăm)poetry: style
Catalan impressionisme
  • impressionismemovement in art
Chinese Mandarin 印象派
  • 印象派 (yìnxiàngpài)movement in art
Czech impresionismus
  • impresionismusmovement in art
Dutch impressionisme
  • impressionismemovement in art
Esperanto impresionismo
  • impresionismomovement in art
Finnish impressionismi, impressionismi
  • impressionismimovement in art
  • impressionismimusic: style
  • impressionismipoetry: style
French impressionnisme
  • impressionnismemovement in art
German Impressionismus, Impressionismus
  • Impressionismusmovement in art
  • Impressionismusmusic: style
  • Impressionismuspoetry: style
Hungarian impresszionizmus, impresszionizmus
  • impresszionizmusmovement in art
  • impresszionizmusmusic: style
  • impresszionizmuspoetry: style
Irish impriseanachas
  • impriseanachasmovement in art
Italian impressionismo
  • impressionismomovement in art
Japanese 印象派
  • 印象派 (inshōha)movement in art
Māori kōpuratanga, toi pūkare
  • kōpuratangamovement in art
  • toi pūkaremusic: style
  • toi pūkarepoetry: style
Norwegian Bokmål impresjonisme
  • impresjonismemovement in art
Polish impresjonizm, impresjonizm
  • impresjonizmmovement in art
  • impresjonizmmusic: style
  • impresjonizmpoetry: style
Portuguese impressionismo
  • impressionismomovement in art
Romanian impresionism, impresionism
  • impresionismmovement in art
  • impresionismpoetry: style
Russian импрессиони́зм
  • импрессиони́зм (impressionízm)movement in art
Spanish impresionismo
  • impresionismomovement in art
Welsh argraffiadaeth, argraffiadaeth
  • argraffiadaethmovement in art
  • argraffiadaethmusic: style
  • argraffiadaethpoetry: style

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

misimpression
Cite this entry
APA

impressionism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/impressionism

MLA

“impressionism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/impressionism. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “impressionism,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/impressionism.

Source: impressionism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.