artist

[ ahr-tist ]

noun

1. a person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily subject to aesthetic criteria.
2. a person who practices one of the fine arts, especially a painter or sculptor.
3. a person whose trade or profession requires a knowledge of design, drawing, painting, etc.:

   a commercial artist.

4. a person who works in one of the performing arts, as an actor, musician, or singer; a public performer:

   a mime artist; an artist of the dance.

5. a person whose work exhibits exceptional skill.
6. a person who is expert at trickery or deceit:

   He's an artist with cards.

7. Obsolete. an artisan.

artist

/ ˈɑːtɪst /

noun

1. a person who practises or is skilled in an art, esp painting, drawing, or sculpture
2. a person who displays in his work qualities required in art, such as sensibility and imagination
3. a person whose profession requires artistic expertise, esp a designer

   a commercial artist

4. a person skilled in some task or occupation

   an artist at bricklaying

5. obsolete.
   an artisan
6. slang.
   a person devoted to or proficient in something

   a con artist

   a booze artist

Word History and Origins

Origin of artist¹

First recorded in 1575–85; from Middle French artiste, from Medieval Latin artista “master of arts”; equivalent to art ¹ + -ist

Synonym Study

Artist, artisan, artiste are persons having superior skill or ability, or who are capable of producing superior work. An artist is a person engaged in some type of fine art. An artisan is engaged in a craft or applied art. An artiste is usually a skilled public performer.

Example Sentences

Spotify, for instance, is offering educational classes to train artists to better promote their music to global audiences.

From Ozy

If you’re a writer or artist, you can use your talents to convey a message that will resonate with people.

From Vox

The worst thing a chef can be told by a businessperson or investor is that you’re an artist.

From Fortune

Each show is hosted by or features an artist, designer or influencer that is associated with the brand or product.

From Digiday

Your Friends In New York’ is predicted to bridge the gap between brands, artists and the community together in different forms including the next evolution of Pyer Moss fashion show.

From Essence.com

No artist had ever done anything like that at an awards show.

From The Daily Beast

To be fair, no artist had ever been asked to, or could have pulled it off if they had.

From The Daily Beast

The most exciting and thrillingly unique artist to surface in 2014.

From The Daily Beast

A 59-year-old retired subway train driver, who gave his name only as Artist, admitted that he had family members in the NYPD.

From The Daily Beast

A lot of actors are good, but Phil was a fully developed artist.

From The Daily Beast

This attracted much attention, and the London journals praised the artist.

From Project Gutenberg

Her attachment to impressionism leads this artist to many experiments in color—or, as one critic wrote, "to play with color."

From Project Gutenberg

The pictures of flowers which this artist paints prove her to be a devoted lover of nature.

From Project Gutenberg

This artist is, sui generis, a daughter of the people, of unconventional tastes and habits.

From Project Gutenberg

Other pictures by this artist remind one of the works of Botticelli.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• artisan
• composer
• expert
• inventor
• painter