arts

British  

/ ɑːts /

plural noun

1. 1. imaginative, creative, and nonscientific branches of knowledge considered collectively, esp as studied academically

   2. ( as modifier )

      an arts degree

2. See fine art

3. cunning or crafty actions or plots; schemes

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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

For any parent nervous about a child’s desire to pursue the arts as a living, this book will, at least, help connect such worries to a long and rich history.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

‘Activities like swimming lessons, martial arts, gymnastics or music often build discipline, resilience and life skills that matter just as much as future tuition savings.’

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

Separate theater and music departments became performing arts.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Mr. Wash sees the center as a replicable model for rehabilitation through the arts — one that begins with creative expression inside prison walls and extends, through structured support, into stable reentry.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

Eventually, the arts broke into different specialties, and the separate role of music teacher as we know it was created.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin