Illustration of easel
easel
noun
ea·sel ˈē-zəl 
: a frame for supporting something (such as an artist's canvas)
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web In Niles, people prayed before the Maria Santissima Lauretana image, a painting set on an easel among flowers and candles in a shrine tent. 
Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2022 The band shell was empty but for two stacks of speakers, a portrait of John on an easel, garlands of evergreen, and a single wreath. Jann S. Wenner, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2022 Sitting in a horseshoe pattern are 20 Nigérien soldiers gathered around an easel going over how to assault a target. Kevin Maurer, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2022 In Andy’s studio, a bowl of deep purple mussel shells stained with paint sit on a table next to an easel; Wyeth mixed his delicate egg tempera pigments in those shells, which lent them their preternatural tones. Murray Whyte, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Aug. 2022 Atop a hill in the eucalyptus knoll across the street, a striker in a beret and smock stood at an easel painting a landscape of the ordeal. Jake S. Friedman, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 July 2022 Consider the khaki an easel for your outfit masterpiece. Vogue, 14 July 2022 Of course, there’s also a painter’s easel, a chisel, and a microscope. Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 11 July 2022 As is tradition, a golden easel bearing a framed notice announcing the birth was placed on display in front of Buckingham Palace that afternoon. Cnn Staff, CNN, 2 June 2022 See More
Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2022 The band shell was empty but for two stacks of speakers, a portrait of John on an easel, garlands of evergreen, and a single wreath. Jann S. Wenner, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2022 Sitting in a horseshoe pattern are 20 Nigérien soldiers gathered around an easel going over how to assault a target. Kevin Maurer, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2022 In Andy’s studio, a bowl of deep purple mussel shells stained with paint sit on a table next to an easel; Wyeth mixed his delicate egg tempera pigments in those shells, which lent them their preternatural tones. Murray Whyte, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Aug. 2022 Atop a hill in the eucalyptus knoll across the street, a striker in a beret and smock stood at an easel painting a landscape of the ordeal. Jake S. Friedman, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 July 2022 Consider the khaki an easel for your outfit masterpiece. Vogue, 14 July 2022 Of course, there’s also a painter’s easel, a chisel, and a microscope. Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 11 July 2022 As is tradition, a golden easel bearing a framed notice announcing the birth was placed on display in front of Buckingham Palace that afternoon. Cnn Staff, CNN, 2 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
borrowed from Dutch ezel, literally, "donkey," going back to Middle Dutch esel, going back to Germanic *asil- (whence Old Saxon & Old High German esil "donkey," Old English esol, eosol, Gothic asilus), altered from Latin asinus — more at ass entry 1
First Known Use
1596, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
easel
noun
ea·sel ˈē-zəl
: a frame for supporting an artist's painting