art form

noun

1
: a form or medium of expression recognized as fine art
sees dance as both an art form and an entertainment
2
a
: an unconventional form or medium in which impulses regarded as artistic may be expressed
… describe pinball as a great American art formTom Buckley
b
: an undertaking or activity enhanced by a high level of skill or refinement
… easy conversation—an art form in peril of being lost to contemporary schedules.Joanna Pruess

Examples of art form in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The switch from celluloid to computer chips saw the movies transform from an illusory art form to a representative one, at the great and continued risk of forfeiting its original power. David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026 Matano beat out dozens of other artists to secure the commission to create the sculpture and, after many months, has completed a preliminary clay art form, according to the release. Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026 Sensorial instincts are vital because water gilding—the application of a micro-thin layer of metal or other ornamental substrate to a surface—is an art form of more than 18 steps, some featuring processes going back 5,000 years. Clare Coulson, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Sep. 2026 What launched in a modest nook between two floors of the Palazzo del Casinò now occupies its own island in the lagoon — evolving from festival curiosity into a key hub for a protean art form. Ben Croll, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for art form

Word History

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of art form was in 1851

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Cite this Entry

“Art form.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/art%20form. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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