# easel

/ˈizəɫ/ (US) · /ˈiːzəl/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/easel
Updated: 2026-10-20

## Definition

a wooden frame used to hold a picture while an artist is painting it.

For teachers: an upright support, typically a wooden tripod, used by an artist to display or secure a canvas during the creative process.

## Examples

- She places the canvas on the easel before she starts painting.
- The art teacher walked around the room, stopping at each student's easel to offer advice on their brushwork.
- In the corner of the sunlit studio stood a heavy oak easel, still bearing the unfinished landscape that had occupied the painter's final months.

## Synonyms

stand

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.