handicraft

noun

hand·​i·​craft ˈhan-di-ˌkraft How to pronounce handicraft (audio)
-dē-
plural handicrafts
1
a
: manual labor or skill
… firing the … products of his handicraft in a diminutive bee-hive kiln …William Laurel Harris
b
: an occupation requiring skill with the hands
… the highly skilled artisans who specialize in handicrafts like embroidery, beading and appliqué …Elizabeth Paton
2
: the articles fashioned by those engaged in handicraft
usually used in plural
Woven baskets and other handicrafts were on display.
often used before another noun
handicraft products/shops
a handicraft exhibition
handicrafter noun
plural handicrafters

Examples of handicraft in a Sentence

Her favorite handicraft is sewing. volunteers demonstrating early American handicrafts, such as blacksmithing, glassblowing, and weaving
Recent Examples on the Web Rooms are supplied with fragrant cypress bathtubs, bamboo handicrafts, and traditional Japanese fabric art. Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 18 Mar. 2024 Agriculture specialists have found handicrafts, grain, and fruits potentially infested with invasive insects. Marisa Garcia, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2024 His mother—who raised him and his younger brother on her own—sold handicrafts and moved the family to Nebraska, Oklahoma, Colorado, Tennessee, and Arizona. Rebecca Giggs, The New Yorker, 19 Feb. 2024 Downtown Cancun also has a vibrant street art scene, sprawling parks, hole-in-the-wall taquerias, and local markets selling handicrafts and souvenirs. 09 of 12 Explore the nearby small towns. Meagan Drillinger, Travel + Leisure, 31 Jan. 2024 There was Moorish-style latticework on the doors, and halls filled with handicraft ceramics from Michoacán. Nicholas Casey, New York Times, 15 Dec. 2023 That threat is existential and highly documented: namely, the digital revolution has done to the analog world of art, media and communication what the industrial revolution did to agrarian and handicraft economies a century before. Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2024 Throughout the old town, kitschy souvenir shops have replaced handicraft stalls and bookstores. Gilles Sabrié Vivian Wang, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2024 Artisans in Oaxaca maintained some production, because weavers of traditional clothing and rugs preferred it in handicrafts. Fernanda Pesce, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'handicraft.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English handi-crafte, alteration of handcraft

First Known Use

1523, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of handicraft was in 1523

Dictionary Entries Near handicraft

Cite this Entry

“Handicraft.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/handicraft. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

handicraft

noun
hand·​i·​craft ˈhan-di-ˌkraft How to pronounce handicraft (audio)
1
: an occupation (as weaving or pottery making) requiring skill with the hands
2
: articles made by one working at a handicraft
handicrafter noun

More from Merriam-Webster on handicraft

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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