artificer

noun

ar·​ti·​fi·​cer är-ˈti-fə-sər  ˈär-tə-fə-sər 

1

: a skilled or artistic worker or craftsman

2

: one that makes or contrives : deviser

had been the artificer of his own fortunes

—The Times Literary Supplement (London)

Synonyms

• artisan
• crafter
• craftsman
• craftsperson
• handcraftsman
• handicrafter
• handicraftsman
• handworker
• tradesman

Examples of artificer in a Sentence

the oil tycoon insisted that the best stone masons, cabinetmakers, and artificers in every other craft be employed to create a mansion of unequalled splendor

Recent Examples on the Web

The book contains funny and terrible things, details and episodes so pungent that they must surely have been stolen from a fantastical artificer like Flann O’Brien. —James Wood, The New Yorker, 4 Apr. 2022

The book includes new spells, character subclasses, story options for groups of players, options for creating sidekicks, tools for Dungeon Masters and includes the artificer class of magical inventors. —Jordan Culver, USA TODAY, 24 Aug. 2020

The only beings to escape the conflagration are four Saranga birds, Takshaka’s son Aswasena, whose mother sacrifices herself to save him, and the artificer Maya, who finds asylum at Arjuna’s feet. —Girish Shahane, Quartz India, 30 Aug. 2019

Yet in his strongest work, Mr. Viola manages to avoid or transcend this danger by showing himself an artificer of searingly original visions that combine formal rigor and spiritual mystery. —A.j. Goldmann, WSJ, 12 July 2017

Artificers The few records that reflect Jonathan Wilkinson's life show he was born around 1748 in New Milford in the colony of Connecticut. —Meaghanm. McDermott, USA TODAY, 3 July 2017

ArtificersThe few records that reflect Jonathan Wilkinson's life show he was born around 1748 in New Milford in the colony of Connecticut. —Meaghanm. McDermott, USA TODAY, 3 July 2017

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Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "craftsman. tradesman," borrowed from Anglo-French, from artifice "trade, craft, craftsmanship" + -er -er entry 2 — more at artifice

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

artificer

noun

ar·​ti·​fi·​cer är-ˈtif-ə-sər  ˈärt-ə-fə-sər 

: a skilled or artistic worker