sfumato

noun

sfu·​ma·​to sfü-ˈmä-(ˌ)tō How to pronounce sfumato (audio)
: the definition of form in painting without abrupt outline by the blending of one tone into another

Examples of sfumato in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The masterful subtlety of light brushstrokes and the troublingly realistic sfumato of the Renaissance painter in the service of god or a noblewoman elevated the work and, by extension, its maker to celebrity. — Ruby Justice Thelot, ARTnews.com, 1 Nov. 2024 Leonardo is famous for his use of sfumato, a technique that uses layering to make smooth transitions between colors and tones. — Teresa Nowakowski, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Nov. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Italian, from past participle of sfumare to evaporate

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sfumato was in 1909

Rhymes for sfumato

See All Rhymes for sfumato

Browse Nearby Words

sfumato
SFW
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sfumato.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sfumato. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on sfumato

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sfumato

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular Features

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
dog-in-disguise
Rhyme Disguise Quiz Pair up words that look different but sound alike.
See All