craftsman
Americannoun
plural
craftsmen-
a person who practices or is highly skilled in a craft; artisan.
- Synonyms:
- handicraftsman, artificer
-
an artist.
noun
-
a member of a skilled trade; someone who practises a craft; artisan
-
Also called: craftswoman. an artist skilled in the techniques of an art or craft
Gender
Is craftsman gender-neutral? See -man.
Other Word Forms
- craftsmanlike adjective
- craftsmanly adjective
- craftsmanship noun
Etymology
Origin of craftsman
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English craftes man “man of skill,” earlier craftman; compare Old English cræftiga “craftsman, workman” (derivative of cræftig “skilled”; crafty )
Compare meaning
How does craftsman compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Vocabulary lists containing craftsman
History of India - Introductory
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African History - Introductory
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History of India - Middle School and High School
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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.
Patterson, who died in 1972, hailed from the same region of Washington as Evans; the documentarian discovered that the hardscrabble cowboy had also been a gifted craftsman and artist.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026
In a dimly lit workshop in eastern China, craftsman Zhang measured and shaped a block of wood into a foot as dozens of half-completed life-sized Buddha statues looked on silently.
From Barron's • Jan. 19, 2026
And items made by silversmiths may have their own special mark: A piece made by renowned American craftsman Paul Revere, for instance, will be marked “Revere.”
From MarketWatch • Dec. 31, 2025
Through record-keeping and the government’s efforts to protect the heritage by instructing craftsman cooks in royal court cuisine, the recipes and practices have survived but aren’t necessarily thriving.
From Salon • Oct. 26, 2025
The craftsman turned as Ranofer came toward them, and his roar could be heard all over the shop.
From "The Golden Goblet" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
