still life

/ˌstɪl ˈlaɪf/

/stɪl laɪf/

Other forms: still lives; still lifes

A still life is a painting of something that's not alive: usually something like flowers or a bowl of fruit.

There are many types of paintings, such as portraits, which focus on realistically representing a person. Another type is the still life. In a still life, there is something like a bowl of fruit or a flower. The key is that a still life features an inanimate object. You could do a still life of a bicycle, a lamp, a pillow, or a guitar — but not a dog, because a dog is alive.

Definitions of still life

1. noun

   a painting of inanimate objects such as fruit or flowers
   type of:

   painting, picture

   graphic art consisting of an artistic composition made by applying paints to a surface