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 In 1990, two men dressed as cops con their way into a Boston museum and steal a fortune in art. — Jacob Siegal, BGR, "Everything coming and going on Netflix: Week of April 4th," 4 Apr. 2021 Huff in the art of catching, but there isn’t any doubt about his potential to produce runs. — Evan Grant, Dallas News, "Evan Grant breaks down the Texas Rangers’ 2021 opening day roster," 31 Mar. 2021 These were the waning years of Abstract Expressionism, and collage was gaining favor in the art world. — New York Times, "An Elusive Artist’s Trove of Never-Before-Seen Images," 23 Mar. 2021 Wow, the internet loves talking about the NFTs (nonfungible tokens) that have taken over the art world. — Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, "The Wide Shot: The producer taking TikTok storytelling to Hollywood," 23 Mar. 2021 The African American fight for equal rights, harnessed through the media, in art, politics and protest, would capture the world's attention. — Alice George, Smithsonian Magazine, "Who Were the Scottsboro Nine?," 23 Mar. 2021 These developments have left many in the conventional art world agape. — Andrew R. Chow, Time, "NFTs Are Shaking Up the Art World—But They Could Change So Much More," 22 Mar. 2021 His response was confrontational and creative, and his rage was focussed against the white, moneyed, and cosseted art world. — Richard Brody, The New Yorker, "“Wojnarowicz,” Reviewed: A Discerning and Tragic Vision of the Artist and His Times," 19 Mar. 2021 Celebration in the art world arrives notoriously late, sometimes posthumously. — Kovie Biakolo, Essence, "Julie Mehretu Is Getting Her Flowers on Time," 17 Mar. 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

8 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Art.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/art. Accessed 11 Apr. 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