sculpture
UK[ˈskʌlptʃə(r)]US[ˈskʌlptʃər]
n
the art of making three-dimensional figures or designs from materials such as stone, wood, or metal.
n
a work of art created by sculpting.
v
to make or represent something by carving, modeling, or welding.
Morpheme Breakdown
sculpt
ure
sculpt
to carve
ure
noun suffix denoting action or result
Etymology
the word 'sculpture' originates from the latin verb sculpere, meaning 'to carve or cut'. this latin root is believed to derive from the pie root skel-, meaning 'to cut, to split', which also gives us words like 'shell' and 'scale'. the suffix '-ure' was added in latin to form the noun sculptura, denoting the action or product of carving. entering english via french in the late middle ages, the term evolved from its literal sense of carving stone or wood to encompass the broader modern artistic discipline of creating three-dimensional forms.
Analysis
Structure: sculpt (to carve) + ure (noun suffix denoting action or result)
sculpt (from latin sculpere, meaning 'to carve, to cut'). ure (a noun-forming suffix of latin origin, indicating an action, process, or result).
Examples
the museum has a remarkable collection of ancient greek sculpture.
she used clay to sculpture a lifelike bust of her subject.
the ice sculpture melted slowly under the ballroom lights.