craftsman
Americannoun
-
craftsmen
plural
-
a person who practices or is highly skilled in a craft; artisan.
- Synonyms:
- handicraftsman, artificer
-
an artist.
noun
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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
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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”; see 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.
See Examples For:
You are well-known as both an architect and a craftsman.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2026
The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland has awarded £2,779 to master craftsman Thomas Keyes to conduct an experimental archaeology project later this year.
From BBC ● Mar. 25, 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
You got every maker and craftsman from every little town nearby, settin’ out their blankets, settin’ out their wares.
From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz
The rhythmic clanging of hammers on bronze echoes through the Istanbul workshop where three craftsmen are landing blows with astonishing precision to transform featureless metal discs into highly prized handcrafted cymbals.
From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026
Yeesookyung collects ceramic shards of work discarded by master craftsmen due to minor flaws and reassembles these fragments into bubbling sculptures held together with 24 karat gold.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 13, 2026
The old chairs are then painstakingly restored with the help of skilled craftsmen, a process that can take months.
From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2026
The runaway success of "Demon Slayer" too, has seen DIY buffs and craftsmen worldwide post YouTube videos recreating some of its characters' outlandish katana, and racking up millions of views.
From Barron's ● Feb. 11, 2026
Artists created beautiful works to enliven wealthy homes, but they were also craftsmen.
From "The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science" by Joyce Sidman
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.
