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Synonyms

artistry

American  
[ahr-ti-stree] / ˈɑr tɪ stri /

noun

  1. artistic workmanship, effect, or quality.

  2. artistic ability.


artistry British  
/ ˈɑːtɪstrɪ /

noun

  1. artistic workmanship, ability, or quality

  2. artistic pursuits

  3. great skill

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of artistry

First recorded in 1865–70; artist + -ry

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."

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Vocabulary lists containing artistry

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.

See Examples For:

"The brilliant, hilarious, hysterically funny, magician of artistry has left us," she said.

From BBC Aug. 27, 2026

While her last break was an effort to get away from skating, Liu told NBC Sports that this time she will continue training to improve her “overall artistry, spins, jumps, everything.”

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 26, 2026

"The Asian Pop category was created to celebrate the depth, diversity and extraordinary growth of pop artistry coming out of Asia," he said.

From Barron's Jul. 30, 2026

To celebrate the semiquincentennial this July 4, read a selection of essays from the Journal’s ‘Masterpiece’ column highlighting the artistry of monuments, paintings, books and more related to our country’s founding ideals.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 3, 2026

There was an artistry to his shots and a lordliness to his moves.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

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