art

noun

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\ ˈärt

Definition of art

(Entry 1 of 5)

1 : skill acquired by experience, study, or observation the art of making friends

2a : a branch of learning:

(1) : one of the humanities

(2) arts plural : liberal arts

b archaic : learning, scholarship

3 : an occupation requiring knowledge or skill the art of organ building

4a : the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects the art of painting landscapes also : works so produced a gallery for modern art

b(1) : fine arts

(2) : one of the fine arts

(3) : one of the graphic arts

5a archaic : a skillful plan

b : the quality or state of being artful (see artful sense 2a)

6 : decorative or illustrative elements in printed matter

art

adjective

Definition of art (Entry 2 of 5)

: produced as an artistic effort or for decorative purposes an art film art dolls art music

art

\ ˈärt

, ərt \

Definition of art (Entry 3 of 5)

archaic present tense second-person singular of be

art

abbreviation

Definition of art (Entry 4 of 5)

1 article

2 artificial

3 artillery

-art

noun suffix

Definition of -art (Entry 5 of 5)

— see -ard

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about art

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Choose the Right Synonym for art

Noun

art, skill, cunning, artifice, craft mean the faculty of executing well what one has devised. art implies a personal, unanalyzable creative power. the art of choosing the right word skill stresses technical knowledge and proficiency. the skill of a glassblower cunning suggests ingenuity and subtlety in devising, inventing, or executing. a mystery plotted with great cunning artifice suggests technical skill especially in imitating things in nature. believed realism in film could be achieved only by artifice craft may imply expertness in workmanship. the craft of a master goldsmith

Examples of art in a Sentence

Noun a piece of modern art It's a remarkable picture, but is it art? The museum has a large collection of folk art. He studied art in college.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The museum’s advance look at its exhibition schedule shows that the once-conservative institution is shifting toward a greater emphasis on modern and contemporary art, and on work by African-American artists. — Steven Litt, cleveland, "Cleveland Museum of Art announces new exhibits for 2021-2022 including big show on sculptor Alberto Giacometti," 29 Apr. 2021 The pieces, all individually framed, have been displayed at an art gallery at Bishop’s University in Sherbrooke, Quebec, and the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium in Montreal. — New York Times, "Why Aren’t More Moon Craters Named for Women?," 27 Apr. 2021 Plants are widely known to bring joy to interiors, transplanting the calm of nature indoors and serving as striking pieces of living art. — Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, "Hilton Carter's New Plant Collection at Target Is Here to Help Your Home Thrive," 27 Apr. 2021 These new beings were soon painting in Chauvet Cave, creating some of the most brilliant art the world has ever known. — Tim Flannery, The New York Review of Books, "Why Did They Vanish?," 27 Apr. 2021 The mother-son duo opened Belhaus, a Grand Avenue art gallery near downtown Phoenix. — Priscilla Totiyapungprasert, The Arizona Republic, "Say hello to Bones — Grand Avenue's new 'bodega,' brought to you by a Phoenix soccer club," 24 Apr. 2021 The event will take place outdoors from 6 to 9 p.m. at the art gallery. — courant.com, "Community News For The Farmington Valley Edition," 22 Apr. 2021 The basement will include a green room for performers and an art gallery. — BostonGlobe.com, "Nathaniel Allen House undergoes transformation into a center for arts and culture," 21 Apr. 2021 The event is being organized by Reyes Finn, a contemporary art gallery in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood, as well as public relations firm Cultural Counsel in partnership with Red Bull Arts, which has a gallery in Eastern Market. — Ryan Patrick Hooper, Detroit Free Press, "Art Mile, a metro Detroit event involving 50-plus galleries, is returning for a 2nd year," 15 Apr. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective The Fre — a Taylor Mac fable about the costs of escaping a homophobic, anti-art background — took place in a ball pit. — Helen Shaw, Vulture, "A Theater Critic Reviews a Year Without Theater," 12 Mar. 2021 In July, the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) released findings of its survey of 760 museum directors, including those from non-art institutions, confirming the extent of the economic toll caused by pandemic closures. — Jennifer G. Wolcott, The Christian Science Monitor, "Beyond the gallery wall: Art world retrains the public, virtually," 14 Sep. 2020 That's an opportunity for cities to collaborate with the agency to make their road art street-legal. — Scottie Andrew, CNN, "Atlanta defends its rainbow crosswalks as symbols of pride. Federal highway officials say it impacts road safety," 11 Oct. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'art.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for art

Noun

Middle English, "craft, principles of a craft or a field of knowledge, one of the seven fields of study comprising the medieval school curriculum, practical knowledge, code of behavior," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, "skill, craft, knowledge, deceit, sorcery," borrowed from Latin art-, ars "acquired skill, craftsmanship, stratagem, behavior (in plural artēs), systematic body of knowledge and techniques, profession, artistic achievement," going back to Indo-European *h₂r̥-ti- "act of fitting or joining" (whence also, perhaps from an adverbialized locative, Greek árti "just now," arti- "fitting, correct," Armenian ard "just now," Lithuanian artì "close by"), nominal derivative from the verbal base *h₂er- "fit, join" — more at arm entry 3

Note: M. de Vaan (Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the Other Italic Languages, Brill, 2008) also adduces from *h₂r̥-ti- Old Avestan ārəiti- "reward" (Young Avestan aṣ̌i-). Compare, also with zero grade ablaut and -t- suffixes, Sanskrit ṛtáḥ "right, true," ṛtúḥ "fixed time, order, rule." See also article entry 1, artiodactyl.

Adjective

from attributive use of art entry 1

Middle English, from Old English eart; akin to Old Norse est, ert (thou) art, Old English is is

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Last Updated

2 May 2021

Cite this Entry

“Art.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/art. Accessed 5 May. 2021.

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More Definitions for art

art

noun

English Language Learners Definition of art

: something that is created with imagination and skill and that is beautiful or that expresses important ideas or feelings

: works created by artists : paintings, sculptures, etc., that are created to be beautiful or to express important ideas or feelings

: the methods and skills used for painting, sculpting, drawing, etc.

See the full definition for art in the English Language Learners Dictionary

art

noun

\ ˈärt

Kids Definition of art

1 : works (as pictures, poems, or songs) made through use of the imagination and creative skills by artists the art of the Renaissance

2 : the methods and skills used for creative visual works (as painting, sculpting, and drawing) a teacher of art

3 : an activity (as painting, music, or writing) whose purpose is making things that are beautiful to look at, listen to, or read the performing arts

4 : skill that comes through experience or study the art of making friends

5 : an activity that requires skill Cooking is an art.

ART

abbreviation

Medical Definition of ART

1 accredited record technician The education and training necessary to become an ART (accredited record technician) is available through a two-year associate degree program for medical records technicians at a junior or community college. — The Chicago Tribune, 7 Dec. 1992

2 assisted reproductive technology A quarter century after the first "test tube" baby, the use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) has risen astronomically.— Anna Mulrine, U.S. News & World Report, 27 Sept. 2004 Nationally, about 107,000 ART procedures—which include IVF and related procedures that consist of the egg and sperm being handled outside the body—are performed.— Helena Oliviero, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 21 Mar. 2004

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art

abbreviation