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

---

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

SpaceX has been credited with helping revitalize Hawthorne, drawing in new restaurants, hotels and an arts complex, as local newspaper the Daily Breeze reported in 2017.

From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026

Growing up working-class in a mining village in Nottinghamshire, Graham recalls how important access to the arts were to him as a "shy" kid who found even the prospect of PE "nerve-wracking".

From BBC • May 18, 2026

He packed oversight commissions with appointees who would rubber-stamp his delusions of grandeur and did the same with the Kennedy Center, whose new board promptly renamed the performing arts venue for him.

From Slate • May 18, 2026

"Mortal Kombat II," a Warner Bros sequel based on the popular martial arts fantasy video game, dropped to fourth place at $13.4 million.

From Barron's • May 17, 2026

Some lessons incorporate the arts, but do not incorporate the learning objectives and other criteria that fully integrate them, while others follow a deeper level of integration.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin