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

• ace
• adept
• authority
• cognoscente
• connoisseur
• crackerjack
• crackajack
• dab [chiefly British]
• dab hand [chiefly British]
• expert
• fiend
• geek
• guru
• hand
• hotshot
• maestro
• master
• maven
• mavin
• meister
• past master
• proficient
• scholar
• shark
• sharp
• virtuoso
• whiz
• wizard

Examples of artist in a Sentence

the great artists of the Renaissance

a pitcher who is a strikeout artist

Recent Examples on the Web

And this isn’t the first time that some country artists and fans rejected Beyoncé. —TIME, 12 Apr. 2024

Through the recent activations in its Wynwood property, the company aims to highlight diversity, creativity, and women artists of color. —Okla Jones, Essence, 12 Apr. 2024

All of the artists and executives at Xanadu Entertainment are deeply mourning the deceased with great sadness. —Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024

We are honored to have Mittermeier among our distinguished jury members, which includes environmental activists, experts, artists, and curators. —Caterina De Biasio, Vogue, 12 Apr. 2024

One notable artist who doesn’t appear on the album: The Weeknd. —Katie Bain, Billboard, 11 Apr. 2024

Compare this definition with this other one, made by an ‘artist,’ an ‘observer’ truly capable of aesthetic appreciation—by Stendhal, who once called the beautiful une promesse de bonheur. —Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 11 Apr. 2024

Combs leads the nominations with eight, including entertainer of the year, male artist of the year, album of the year, song of the year, single of the year and music event of the year. —Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2024

Scott is only the 15th artist in the history of the chart's existence to accomplish this feat. —Chris Barilla, Peoplemag, 31 Mar. 2024

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

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