arts
Britishplural noun
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imaginative, creative, and nonscientific branches of knowledge considered collectively, esp as studied academically
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( as modifier )
an arts degree
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See fine art
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cunning or crafty actions or plots; schemes
Explanation
The arts are subjects that you study in school which have some artistic or social aspect, rather than being purely practical or job-related. If you major in English and minor in music, you're studying the arts. University subjects and separate colleges — and often even the degrees they award — are sometimes divided into arts and sciences. The arts include things like dance and photography, but also subjects such as Latin or religion. Sciences include, obviously, science, but also more professional and occupational studies. The root of arts is the Latin ars, "art."
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.
At its best, the performing arts create a space for shared witnessing.
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026
That skill is cultivated through education in the performing arts.
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026
A performing arts education does more than train artists to perform.
From Salon ● Jul. 30, 2026
Until now Assembly Bill 2440 — which has made it most of the way through the legislative process — has enjoyed broad support, including from arts organizations, with no opponents emerging.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
When I got to language arts, Audrey didn’t even look up at me when I sat down next to her.
From "Keep It Together, Keiko Carter" by Debbi Michiko Florence
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.
