Impressionist refers to artists who paint what they see in quick, loose brushstrokes, capturing the feeling and light of a moment rather than precise details. When you look at an Impressionist painting up close, you might see just blobs and dabs of color, but step back and suddenly you're looking at a shimmering lake or a sun-drenched garden.

The movement started in France in the 1860s when painters like Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Berthe Morisot began painting outdoors to catch natural light as it changed throughout the day. Instead of mixing colors carefully on a palette, they often put pure colors right on the canvas, letting your eye blend them together. Monet painted the same haystack or cathedral dozens of times at different hours, showing how morning light transforms everything compared to sunset.

Traditional art critics initially hated these paintings, calling them unfinished and sloppy. But the Impressionists embraced their style, and it changed art forever.

The word can also describe a performer who imitates other people's voices and mannerisms for entertainment. A talented impressionist might mimic a president's speech patterns or a celebrity's distinctive laugh so accurately that audiences recognize who they're imitating right away.