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.

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adjective

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

   artisan beer.

artisan British  

/ ˈɑːtɪˌzæn, ˌɑːtɪˈzæn /

noun

1. a skilled workman; craftsman

2. obsolete an artist

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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

Heading into the fall, she’s scheduled to sell her wares at over a dozen artisan markets.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

Scientists have identified the bacteria that help give three British artisan cheeses their distinctive flavors, and some of those microbes may also have potential benefits for human health.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026

The technique has only survived through private collectors and artisan printers like Nick Hand, who runs the Department of Small Works in Bristol.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

The 19-year-old college student compares herself to an apprentice learning from a master artisan.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

Dennis was an excellent leather- maker and artisan type and he quickly became Aunt Mary’s best worker.

From "The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother" by James McBride

WSJ spoke with archaeologists and artisans about the business.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

As they craft, artisans chant aloud the design code handwritten on a strip of paper known as talim -- shorthand of ancient symbols for numbers and colours -- knotting the threads string by string.

From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026

Halfway across the world, however, only a few artisans are left to pass on the tile-carving skill.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026

The story of chamoy really parallels this journey of blue-and-white ceramics, which got to Mexico because of Spanish colonialism and then was adopted by local artisans.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026

From the beginning, most prints have been made, at least in part, by artisans whose technical skill is necessary to ensure the outcome.

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

Related Words

• builder
• carpenter
• craftsman
• professional