artisan

[ ahr-tuh-zuhn ]

noun

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

/ ɑːˈtɪzənəl; ˌɑːtɪˈzæn; ˈɑːtɪˌzæn; ˈɑːtɪzənəl /

noun

1. a skilled workman; craftsman
2. obsolete.
   an artist

Derived Forms

• artisanal, adjective

Other Words From

• ar·ti·san·ship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of artisan¹

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 ); art ¹, -ite ², -ian

Word History and Origins

Origin of artisan¹

C16: from French, from Old Italian artigiano, from arte art ¹

Synonym Study

See artist.

Example Sentences

Made in collaboration with New Hampshire artisan Linny Kenney, these hand-dyed vegetable-tanned leather gloves are meant to age beautifully while protecting your hands from hot surfaces.

From Eater

The bar sourced tools by local artisans like the Parra family in Michoacan, who have been working copper for generations.

From Eater

Many of the artisans have intellectual and other disabilities, and about half are nonverbal.

From Washington Post

Although the Kimdio has the look of an artisan coffee mug, it’s actually made of high quality ceramic that is dishwasher and microwave-save, and non-toxic.

From Popular-Science

On Trade Days, my cousins would sell their pottery to tourists, while other artisans would sell paintings, woodworking, and other objets d’art.

From Washington Blade

The relationship between artist and artisan is therefore very symbiotic, says Hetflaisz.

From The Daily Beast

Szymon Oltarzewski is a Polish-born artisan who is also a sculptor in his own right.

From The Daily Beast

When the artist themselves is often continents away, those artistic decisions are made by the artisan.

From The Daily Beast

But from the anguish of soulless industrial lagers rises the emancipation of artisan brewing.

From The Daily Beast

But big corporations are taking shortcuts and pricing the artisan products out of the bar...and out of business.

From The Daily Beast

Here and there exceptional industry or extraordinary capacity raised the artisan to wealth and turned the "man" into the "master."

From Project Gutenberg

These Orchestras are chiefly selected from the ranks of the people, of whom the artisan is the chief contributor.

From Project Gutenberg

If an artisan has taken a son to bring up, and has caused him to learn his handicraft, no one has any claim.

From Project Gutenberg

I am a mere artisan in composition, but you will be an artist, in the fullest sense of the word.

From Project Gutenberg

She was the child of an artisan who had been killed by the Burgundians in the woods of Boulogne-la-Grande.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• builder
• carpenter
• craftsman
• professional