1
: a skilled or artistic worker or craftsman
2
: one that makes or contrives : deviser
had been the artificer of his own fortunes The Times Literary Supplement (London)

Examples of artificer in a Sentence

the oil tycoon insisted that the best stone masons, cabinetmakers, and artificers in every other craft be employed to create a mansion of unequalled splendor
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The book contains funny and terrible things, details and episodes so pungent that they must surely have been stolen from a fantastical artificer like Flann O’Brien. James Wood, The New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2022 The book includes new spells, character subclasses, story options for groups of players, options for creating sidekicks, tools for Dungeon Masters and includes the artificer class of magical inventors. Jordan Culver, USA TODAY, 24 Aug. 2020

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "craftsman. tradesman," borrowed from Anglo-French, from artifice "trade, craft, craftsmanship" + -er -er entry 2 — more at artifice

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of artificer was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near artificer

Cite this Entry

“Artificer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/artificer. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.

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