artist

noun

art·​ist ˈär-tist 

plural artists

1

a

: a person who creates art (such as painting, sculpture, music, or writing) using conscious skill and creative imagination

the great artists of the Renaissance

an artist specializing in watercolors

b

: a person skilled in any of the arts

I can't draw at all, but both of my children are very talented artists.

2

: a skilled performer

a trapeze artist

especially : a musical or theatrical entertainer : artiste

a jazz artist

3

: a person who is very good at something

a scam artist

a strikeout artist

4

a

obsolete : one skilled or versed in learned arts

b

archaic : physician

c

archaic : artisan sense 1

Synonyms

• expert
• scholar
• master
• virtuoso
• adept
• wizard
• guru

Examples of artist in a Sentence

the great artists of the Renaissance

a pitcher who is a strikeout artist

Recent Examples on the Web

There were free pouches of pocket pancakes; Brewers manager Pat Murphy showing off his pancake-flipping skills; special guests, including Donald Driver; polka music; pancake artists; a T-shirt giveaway for the first 3,000 fans; and the debut of Murph's Maple Syrup. —Hannah Kirby, jsonline.com, 1 Oct. 2025

Making up for the dwindling number of orders from labels are artists themselves, turning to Jewel Box to commemorate their own streaming achievements. —Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025

With less money being invested by record labels into touring, that has created a top-heavy artist hierarchy, with the rich getting richer and the poor and middle class falling by the wayside. —Roy Trakin, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025

When Kimberly and her family leave the New Jersey suburbs under dubious circumstances, Kimberly reevaluates her life while dealing with her hypochondriac mother, alcoholic father, scam-artist aunt, her own mortality and her first love. —Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 1 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French artiste "person practicing a craft, student of the liberal arts," borrowed from Medieval Latin artista "artificer, student of the liberal arts," from Latin art-, ars "acquired skill, art entry 1" + -ista -ist entry 1

First Known Use

1563, in the meaning defined at sense 4c

Phrases Containing artist

• con artist
• escape artist
• flimflam artist/man
• paleo-artist
• recording artist

Rhymes for artist

• chartist
• smartest
• bonapartist

Kids Definition

artist

noun

art·​ist ˈärt-əst 

1

: a person skilled in one of the arts (as painting, sculpture, music, or writing)

2

: a person showing unusual ability in an occupation requiring skill