Ruskin

American  

[ruhs-kin] / ˈrʌs kɪn /

noun

1. John, 1819–1900, English author, art critic, and social reformer.

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Ruskin British  

/ ˈrʌskɪn /

noun

1. John . 1819–1900, English art critic and social reformer. He was a champion of the Gothic Revival and the Pre-Raphaelites and saw a close connection between art and morality. From about 1860 he argued vigorously for social and economic planning. His works include Modern Painters (1843–60), The Stones of Venice (1851–53), Unto this Last (1862), Time and Tide (1867), and Fors Clavigera (1871–84)

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Other Word Forms

• Ruskinean
  adjective
• Ruskinian
  adjective

Example Sentences

John Ruskin, a Victorian art critic, raged at how the division of labor broke down traditional communities and turned people into automatons.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

On Sunday, a friend took the couple through their vows as they were standing on a cobblestone ledge at the foot of a waterfall on the 121-year-old Ruskin property about an hour out of Nashville.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026

Whether or not Church had deeply studied Ruskin, an aesthetic kinship is noticeable.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

The research was carried out by primatologist Professor Anna Nekaris OBE of Anglia Ruskin University along with collaborators from the conservation group Plumploris e.V. and the University of Western Australia.

From Science Daily • Mar. 3, 2026

Mr. Ruskin, when putting on his armor, had boasted himself as one who takes it off; but in his case there proved to be little rashness in the premature fortification.

From Modern Leaders: Being a Series of Biographical Sketches by McCarthy, Justin