craftsman

[krafts-muhn]

noun

plural

craftsmen 

1. a person who practices or is highly skilled in a craft; artisan.

   Synonyms: handicraftsman, artificer

2. an artist.

craftsman

/ ˈkrɑːftsmən /

noun

1. a member of a skilled trade; someone who practises a craft; artisan

2. Also called: craftswoman. an artist skilled in the techniques of an art or craft

Gender Note

Is craftsman gender-neutral? See -man.

Other Word Forms

• craftsmanlike adjective
• craftsmanly adjective
• craftsmanship noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of craftsman¹

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 )

Example Sentences

Guns at the time were made by skilled craftsmen, limiting their production, and slight variations meant that damaged parts couldn’t be easily replaced.

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Beijing hasn’t only upgraded its toolkit; it has replaced the craftsman with the assembly line.

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His background as an actor and craftsman gave him practical experience, one of the qualities that prepared him for life as a producer.

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“We, the inventors, scientists, engineers, and craftsmen, had created a terrible weapon, the most terrible weapon in human history,” he would recall realizing at this moment.

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Park had a similar awakening to Han Beom-woo’s when it came to discovering Korean palace cuisine on his journey to becoming a Korean craftsman cook.

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Related Words

• artisan