artisan

American  

[ahr-tuh-zuhn] / ˈɑr tə zən /

noun

• artisans
  plural

1. a person skilled in a utilitarian art, trade, or craft, especially one requiring manual skill; a craftsperson.

2. a person or company that makes a high-quality or distinctive product in small quantities, usually by hand or using traditional methods.

   our favorite local food artisans.

---

adjective

1. pertaining to an artisan or the product of an artisan; artisanal.

   artisan beer.

artisan British  

/ ˈɑːtɪˌzæn, ˌɑːtɪˈzæn /

noun

1. a skilled workman; craftsman

2. obsolete an artist

---

Synonym Usage

See artist.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• artisanship
  noun
• artisanal
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• artisans
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of artisan

First recorded in 1530–40; from French, from Italian artigiano, equivalent to Latin artīt(us) “trained in arts and crafts” (past participle of artīre ) + Italian -iano (from Latin -iānus ); see art ¹, -ite ², -ian

---

Compare meaning

How does artisan compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• artisan vs. artesian

---

Explanation

An artisan has both the creativity and the skill to make a product. Wandering around a local craft fair, you will often see artisans selling handicrafts like pot holders or beaded jewelry. In medieval times, blacksmiths, carpenters, and masons were artisan trades. Unskilled laborers were not. The hierarchy of skill and prestige among artisans, from apprentice to journeyman to master, is sometimes reflected in ranks among today’s trade union members. But today an artisan can just be someone who makes attractive and creative work with their hands, like jewelry or pottery. Although, if they're trying to sell their goods, it probably helps if they're very skilled.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

artisan artisans

Heading into the fall, she’s scheduled to sell her wares at over a dozen artisan markets.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

Scientists have identified the bacteria that help give three British artisan cheeses their distinctive flavors, and some of those microbes may also have potential benefits for human health.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026

The technique has only survived through private collectors and artisan printers like Nick Hand, who runs the Department of Small Works in Bristol.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

The Revere portrait celebrates the dignity of work, showing that an artisan can look as calm and thoughtful as a philosopher.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026

He thought confusedly, finally captive in a trap of nostalgia, that perhaps if he had married her he would have been a man without war and without glory, a nameless artisan, a happy animal.

From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

They did confirm that Pope Leo turned down Macron's idea of a meeting with artisans who helped rebuild the fire-devastated Notre-Dame cathedral.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

WSJ spoke with archaeologists and artisans about the business.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

"My clients are all longstanding clients... Plus, as artisans, we don't really care much about those things."

From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026

In Colonial-era America, sculpture was a craft, not an art, its practitioners artisans who fashioned utilitarian objects like ships’ figureheads and shop signs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

The clusters of New York students and artisans paid them no mind as they made their way through Washington Square Park.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• builder
• carpenter
• craftsman
• professional

---