artisan

American  

[ahr-tuh-zuhn] / ˈɑr tə zən /

noun

artisans plural

1. a person skilled in a utilitarian art, trade, or craft, especially one requiring manual skill; a craftsperson.

2. a person or company that makes a high-quality or distinctive product in small quantities, usually by hand or using traditional methods.

   our favorite local food artisans.

---

adjective

1. pertaining to an artisan or the product of an artisan; artisanal.

   artisan beer.

artisan British  

/ ɑːˈtɪzənəl, ˈɑːtɪˌzæn, ˈɑːtɪzənəl, ˌɑːtɪˈzæn /

noun

1. a skilled workman; craftsman

2. obsolete an artist

---

Synonym Usage

See artist.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• artisanship
  noun
• artisanal
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• artisans
  plural

Etymology

Origin of artisan

First recorded in 1530–40; from French, from Italian artigiano, equivalent to Latin artīt(us) “trained in arts and crafts” (past participle of artīre ) + Italian -iano (from Latin -iānus ); see art ¹, -ite ², -ian

Compare meaning

How does artisan compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• artisan vs. artesian

Explanation

An artisan has both the creativity and the skill to make a product. Wandering around a local craft fair, you will often see artisans selling handicrafts like pot holders or beaded jewelry. In medieval times, blacksmiths, carpenters, and masons were artisan trades. Unskilled laborers were not. The hierarchy of skill and prestige among artisans, from apprentice to journeyman to master, is sometimes reflected in ranks among today’s trade union members. But today an artisan can just be someone who makes attractive and creative work with their hands, like jewelry or pottery. Although, if they're trying to sell their goods, it probably helps if they're very skilled.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

artisan artisans

Three Iranian men pressed rehydrated raisins at an artisan distillery just outside New York, thousands of miles from their war-struck homeland.

From Barron's ● May 2, 2026

His own seed and nut farm - which had managed to stay open during bushfires and the pandemic - couldn't afford keep its usually popular artisan shop open, even at the weekend.

From BBC ● Feb. 25, 2026

In her work, she strives to focus on the local people who are “truly doing hard farm work, artisan food crafts, biodynamic farming,” which is not the norm in the now-industrialized food country.

From Salon ● Jan. 24, 2026

Her future as an artisan was a foregone conclusion.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 30, 2025

He was a successful artisan, a keen businessman, and a married man, devoted to his wife.

From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill

The origins of the tapestry remain shrouded in mystery, with many scholars believing it was made by artisans in or around Canterbury in southern England.

From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026

The route also brought artisans, laborers and slaves to the Spanish colony.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026

The litany hails him as the renowned offspring of David, who handed Christ a king’s lineage and a contested throne, and calls him the terror of demons and the model of artisans.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026

As a result, authentic sea silk has become extraordinarily rare and is produced only in tiny amounts by a small number of artisans.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 12, 2026

Whereas artisans attempt only what they know to be possible, artists are always driven to attempt the impossible—or at least the improbable or unimaginable.

From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson

Related Words

• builder
• carpenter
• craftsman
• professional