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

• ace
• adept
• authority
• cognoscente
• connoisseur
• crackerjack
• crackajack
• dab [chiefly British]
• dab hand [chiefly British]
• expert
• fiend
• geek
• guru
• hand
• hotshot
• maestro
• master
• maven
• mavin
• meister
• past master
• proficient
• scholar
• shark
• sharp
• virtuoso
• whiz
• wizard

Examples of artist in a Sentence

the great artists of the Renaissance

a pitcher who is a strikeout artist

Recent Examples on the Web

The film is exceptionally headlined by alternative music artist Anja Plaschg (aka Soap&Skin) as Agnes, a young, beautiful woman married off to a man from a nearby village who also happens to be a closeted homosexual. —Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 25 Dec. 2024

The firm supports artists at every stage of their career, from legal to business advice, even providing a multidisciplinary creative space within their office for the whims of their clients, whose successes are also amplified on Jayaram’s social media profiles. —Lilian Raji, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024

Featured illustrators and artists include Géo Ham, Robert Falcucci, and J. Ramel. —Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 24 Dec. 2024

In 2017, Martin married artist Jwan Yosef, and the couple welcomed two children together, daughter Lucia and son Renn, via surrogate just nine months apart the following year. —Andrea Wurzburger, People.com, 24 Dec. 2024

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

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