fine art

American  

[fahyn ahrt] / ˈfaɪn ˈɑrt /

noun

• fine arts
  plural

1. a visual art considered to have been created primarily for aesthetic purposes and judged for its beauty and meaningfulness, specifically, painting, sculpture, drawing, watercolor, graphics, and architecture.

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fine art British  

noun

1. art produced chiefly for its aesthetic value, as opposed to applied art

2. Also called: beaux arts. (often plural) any of the fields in which such art is produced, such as painting, sculpture, and engraving

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fine art Idioms  

1. Something requiring highly developed techniques and skills, as in He's turned lying into a fine art, or The contractor excels in the fine art of demolition. This term alludes to the fine arts, such as music, painting, and sculpture, which require both skill and talent. It is now often used to describe anything that takes skill to do. [First half of 1800s]

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• fine arts
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of fine art

First recorded in 1760–70

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fine art

Following our investigation, the Home Office is now revoking visas issued to two Nigerian men who claimed to be fine art photographers, because it believes they were obtained by deception.

From BBC ● Nov. 13, 2026

Others know him through the fine art world.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026

The museum aims to celebrate visual storytelling in all its forms: among them fine art, photography, comics, science-fiction illustrations and, of course, movies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

Now, Halsey is plotting on her next project: “emajendat,” a music festival that merges fine art, music and community activation all in one night.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026

He learned how to take dictation, clean a privy, set a table, serve an excellent luncheon, and master the fine art of bread-slicing.

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

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