- plural of art.
arts
Britishplural noun
-
-
imaginative, creative, and nonscientific branches of knowledge considered collectively, esp as studied academically
-
( as modifier )
an arts degree
-
-
See fine art
-
cunning or crafty actions or plots; schemes
Explanation
The arts are subjects that you study in school which have some artistic or social aspect, rather than being purely practical or job-related. If you major in English and minor in music, you're studying the arts. University subjects and separate colleges — and often even the degrees they award — are sometimes divided into arts and sciences. The arts include things like dance and photography, but also subjects such as Latin or religion. Sciences include, obviously, science, but also more professional and occupational studies. The root of arts is the Latin ars, "art."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Salisbury was colorful: A mixed martial arts enthusiast, he once appeared at the agency’s headquarters with his face bruised and eye blackened from a recent bout.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
However, they could be seen as a negative for teams who were used to using the dark arts to run down the clock and hold on to a result.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
A longtime cat rescuer, the former vegan chef with an arts background started out as a volunteer, then later became an employee.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
Meanwhile, in Dubai, Kinahan set up a boxing stable called MTK Global, and appeared at public martial arts events.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
How might you adapt some of these to a language arts lesson?
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.