Meanings
plural vernissages
- A private viewing of an art exhibition before it opens to the public.
[…] the artists' association will be forced to advance or delay its vernissage and opening day.
1893 May 2, The Times, p.5 col. CSynonyms: preview, private view
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA private viewing of an art exhibition before it opens to the public.
Origin
- Frenchvernissage
- Englishvernissage
From French vernissage, derived from the earlier habit of the artists to varnish their paintings the day before the opening of an exhibition.
More words from French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Czech vernisáž
- vernisážprivate viewing of an exhibition before it opens to the public
Finnish avajaiset
- avajaisetprivate viewing of an exhibition before it opens to the public
French vernissage
- vernissageprivate viewing of an exhibition before it opens to the public
German Vernissage
- Vernissageprivate viewing of an exhibition before it opens to the public
Greek βερνισάζ
- βερνισάζ (vernisáz)private viewing of an exhibition before it opens to the public
Polish wernisaż
- wernisażprivate viewing of an exhibition before it opens to the public
Russian верниса́ж
- верниса́ж (vernisáž)private viewing of an exhibition before it opens to the public
Swedish vernissage
- vernissageprivate viewing of an exhibition before it opens to the public
Turkish vernisaj
- vernisajprivate viewing of an exhibition before it opens to the public
Ukrainian верніса́ж
- верніса́ж (vernisáž)private viewing of an exhibition before it opens to the public
Cite this entry
vernissage. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vernissage
“vernissage.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vernissage. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “vernissage,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/vernissage.
Source: vernissage on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.