artist
Americannoun
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a person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily subject to aesthetic criteria.
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a person who practices one of the fine arts, especially a painter or sculptor.
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a person whose trade or profession requires a knowledge of design, drawing, painting, etc..
a commercial artist.
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a person who works in one of the performing arts, as an actor, musician, or singer; a public performer.
a mime artist; an artist of the dance.
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a person whose work exhibits exceptional skill.
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a person who is expert at trickery or deceit.
He's an artist with cards.
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Obsolete. an artisan.
noun
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a person who practises or is skilled in an art, esp painting, drawing, or sculpture
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a person who displays in his work qualities required in art, such as sensibility and imagination
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a person whose profession requires artistic expertise, esp a designer
a commercial artist
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a person skilled in some task or occupation
an artist at bricklaying
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obsolete an artisan
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slang a person devoted to or proficient in something
a booze artist
a con artist
Related Words
Artist, artisan, artiste are persons having superior skill or ability, or who are capable of producing superior work. An artist is a person engaged in some type of fine art. An artisan is engaged in a craft or applied art. An artiste is usually a skilled public performer.
Etymology
Origin of artist
First recorded in 1575–85; from Middle French artiste, from Medieval Latin artista “master of arts”; equivalent to art 1 + -ist
Explanation
An artist is someone whose life's work — or passionate hobby — focuses on some creative enterprise. If you love to paint portraits of your dog, you are an artist. People who make films, write short stories, or build beautiful dollhouses are all artists. Doing anything that involves creativity and imagination, especially if it yields some finished project, is being an artist. Sometimes people use the word for someone who's great at what she does, or who uses extra flair or originality: "That barista is a total artist — look, she made my latte foam look like a hedgehog!" The Latin root is ars, or "art."
Vocabulary lists containing artist
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.
Offset wasn't the only artist to make a return over the weekend.
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
The artist shared that his favorite Pokémon is Mewtwo, the genetically engineered clone of the mythical Pokémon Mew.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026
He added that the security guard involved in the incident has "confirmed publicly that he was representing another artist at the hotel at the time".
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
The "Manana sera bonito" singer is the first Latina artist to headline the festival, which draws massive crowds over two consecutive weekends in Indio, California.
From Barron's • Apr. 12, 2026
The drivers were: James McIlroy and Alexander Macklin, the two doctors; Frank Hurley, the photographer; Frank Wild, Shackleton’s loyal second-in-command; Tom Crean, the Antarctic veteran; and George Marston, the expedition artist.
From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong
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.
