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 of artist

• expert
• scholar
• master
• virtuoso
• adept
• wizard
• guru

Examples of artist in a Sentence

the great artists of the Renaissance

a pitcher who is a strikeout artist

Recent Examples on the Web

Headliners Lorde, Kali Uchis, and Jennie, of the K-pop girl group Blackpink, are joined by such artists as Wet Leg, Blood Orange, King Princess, 2hollis, Geese, and Slayyyter (June 5-7). —Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 May 2026

Part of the sale’s proceeds will be donated to the Fondazione Claudia Cardinale, which the late actress created with her daughter, Claudia Squitieri, to support contemporary audiovisual creation and female artists. —Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 22 May 2026

Divided into themes of grief, fear, hope, joy, and sadness, contributing multimedia artists selected with the curator and artist Yaara Sachs from an open call, are presenting works about subjects ranging from epilepsy, PTSD, and homelessness. —Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 22 May 2026

Vogue consulted with masterful artists such as Tasha Reiko Brown, Amy Komorowski, Emma Day, and Aika Danica Flores to get their tricks for achieving low-key, everyday makeup looks that are undetectable to even the most trained of eyes. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 22 May 2026

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
• Conceptual artist
• escape artist
• flimflam artist/man
• paleo-artist
• Pop artist
• recording artist

Rhymes for artist

• chartist
• smartest
• bonapartist

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