arts and crafts

American

noun

the handcrafting and decoration of especially utilitarian objects.

Arts and Crafts British

plural noun

decorative handicraft and design, esp that of the Arts and Crafts movement , in late nineteenth-century Britain, which sought to revive medieval craftsmanship

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of arts and crafts

First recorded in 1885–90

Compare meaning

How does arts-and-crafts compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

arts and crafts vs. craftsman

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.

The school will stay open during winter break, offering sports, video games and arts and crafts so students have a safe place to go.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 9, 2025

Other recipients have turned theirs into arts and crafts projects.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 30, 2025

Fun is familiar here, with events like the Columbia Festival of the Arts with – what else – arts and crafts, live music and kids’ activities.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 29, 2025

Libraries, of course, fit the bill, providing workshops, public readings and performances, along with arts and crafts classes.

From Salon • Mar. 30, 2025

James pointed to a bookcase raised on knobby feet that made up the arts and crafts section.

From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023