artistry
Americannoun
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artistic workmanship, effect, or quality.
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artistic ability.
noun
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artistic workmanship, ability, or quality
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artistic pursuits
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great skill
Etymology
Origin of artistry
Explanation
Artistry is a particular skill or a flair for something, especially an artistic pursuit. You might love watching ice skating competitions for the sheer artistry of the figure skaters. You can take piano lessons for years and learn how to play many pieces but still not quite achieve the artistry of a truly gifted pianist. It takes practice to gain artistry, but it also takes a kind of creative spark. The word artistry first appeared in the 1830s from artist, modeled after words such as chemistry, from chemist. The root is the Latin word ars, or "art."
Vocabulary lists containing artistry
Academy Awards, List 5
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Taking Flight
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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.
In Cruise’s case, artistry seems to have taken a backseat almost entirely.
From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2026
“This union of artistry and vision transformed the property into a singular masterpiece, embodying the glamour and creative force of Hollywood’s Golden Age,” the description added.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
But Livia is, in her words, “not a joiner”; she loved Sigurd but not his causes, arguing that her artistry also added value to the world.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
After the song, Nicks stuck around to deliver an apparently extemporaneous tribute to Rodrigo’s artistry and activism that seemed to push the younger singer close to tears.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
There was an artistry to his shots and a lordliness to his moves.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
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.
