fine art

noun

1

a

: art (such as painting, sculpture, or music) concerned primarily with the creation of beautiful objects

—usually plural

b

: objects of fine art

2

: an activity requiring a fine skill

Examples of fine art in a Sentence

a collector of fine art

She studies painting in the department of fine arts.

We saw the sculpture at the Museum of Fine Arts.

the fine art of gourmet cooking

Recent Examples on the Web

Zhang, a fashion and fine art photographer who was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2018 and whose work has appeared in Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and Time, founded Cara, a public benefit corporation, in late 2022. — Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Threinen, a 1974 San Diego State fine arts graduate, was advertising art director and staff artist at Surfing Magazine. — Barbara Bry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026

Now that Les Lalanne have proven themselves to be big business at auction houses, the question is whether their legacy can be seen as more than just design, but fine art. — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 21 Aug. 2026

Mayor of Atlanta Andre Dickens attends the National Black Arts Festival 20th anniversary fine art and fashion benefit at Atlanta History Center on April 29, 2026. — Dan Raby, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for fine art

• counterpart
• apart
• depart
• flowchart
• forepart
• impart
• pushcart
• rampart
• redstart
• restart
• subpart
• sweetheart

Kids Definition

fine art

noun

: art (as painting, sculpture, or music) concerned mainly with the creation of beautiful objects

—usually used in plural