artists

IPA/ˈɑː.tɪst/
KK[ˈɑrtɪsts]IPA/ˈɑːr.t̬ɪst/

artists — noun

  • artistssingular
  • artistsesplural

1. a person whose job or hobby is to create paintings, drawings, or sculptures — fo

1.nounA1
Definition

a person whose job or hobby is to create paintings, drawings, or sculptures — for example, painting portraits of people or carving figures from stone or wood.

Example

The artist spent three months painting a portrait of the mayor's family.

singular: the artist + verb in simple past

Local artists set up their easels along the river to capture the sunset.

plural: local artists + verb

Common collocations
  • professional artist
  • aspiring artist
  • visual artist
  • graphic artist
  • studio artist
Synonyms
  • painter

    refers specifically to someone who paints pictures, not to all visual artists

  • sculptor

    specifically someone who makes sculptures from materials like stone, wood, or metal

  • fine artist

    formal term for someone who creates art mainly for aesthetic rather than practical purposes

Grammar Patterns

artist + verb

adjective + artist

Usage Note

This entry covers both the singular form 'artist' and the plural form 'artists'. The singular form is used for one person, and the plural for two or more.

Common Mistakes

He is a famous artists.
He is a famous artist.
'artist' is the singular form; 'artists' is only used for more than one person.
The artists paints in his studio.
The artist paints in his studio.
A plural subject needs a plural verb form.

2. a person who plays a musical instrument or sings for an audience, especially as

2.nounA2
Definition

a person who plays a musical instrument or sings for an audience, especially as a job or professional career.

Example

The recording studio hired several artists to play the violin parts for the film.

plural: several artists + infinitive

Diego started his career as a street artist, singing in the subway for spare change.

compound: street artist

Common collocations
  • recording artist
  • solo artist
  • signed artist
  • performing artist
Synonyms
  • musician

    broader term for anyone who plays instruments or sings; 'artist' often implies a professional performer or recording career

  • performer

    focuses on the act of performing live rather than the creative or recording role

Grammar Patterns

recording artist

solo artist

Common Mistakes

She is an artists who plays piano.
She is an artist who plays piano.
Use the singular 'artist' when referring to one person.

3. someone who uses remarkable skill and imagination to produce things in any field

3.nounB1
Definition

someone who uses remarkable skill and imagination to produce things in any field, such as a chef who creates original dishes or a designer who invents beautiful objects.

Example

The pastry chef was a true artist who decorated cakes like tiny sculptures.

metaphorical: true artist + relative clause

Gardeners who design beautiful public parks are landscape artists in their own right.

compound: landscape artists

Common collocations
  • makeup artist
  • culinary artist
  • graphic artist
  • martial artist
  • true artist
Synonyms
  • craftsperson

    emphasises manual skill and quality of making, but does not necessarily imply imagination or creativity

  • master

    suggests the highest level of expertise in any field

  • creative

    informal noun meaning a person who works in a creative field such as design or advertising

Antonyms
  • amateur

    someone who does something without professional skill or pay

Grammar Patterns

true artist

artist of [domain]

Usage Note

Common in figurative or metaphorical contexts where someone's work in a non-artistic field shows artistic levels of skill and creativity. Often used in compound nouns like 'makeup artist', 'culinary artist', or 'graphic artist'.

Common Mistakes

He is a make up artist.
He is a makeup artist.
'Makeup' is one word when used as a compound noun before 'artist'.

Word family

  • artist
    nounA1
  • art
    nounA1
  • artistic
    adjectiveB1
  • artistically
    adverbB2
  • artistry
    nounC1
  • artless
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Artist is the broadest term for someone who creates art, especially visual art. A 'painter' specializes in paintings using materials like oil or watercolor, while a 'sculptor' works with three-dimensional materials such as stone, clay, or metal. 'Artisan' refers to someone who makes functional objects by hand (pottery, furniture) with great skill, but the focus is on craft rather than self-expression. 'Creative' (informal, modern usage) describes someone working in advertising, design, or digital media. For example: 'Picasso was an artist who also worked as a sculptor.' 'The artisan shaped clay into practical bowls rather than gallery pieces.' 'The agency hired a team of creatives to design the campaign.'

painter ↗sculptor ↗artisancreative ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • street artist
  • makeup artist
  • recording artist
  • graphic artist
  • visual artist
  • performance artist
  • martial artist
  • conceptual artist

Phrases

  • artist in residence
  • artist's impression
  • artist's statement
  • artist's studio

Prepositions

  • artist in
  • artist of
  • artist from

Etymology

LatinItalianFrenchEnglish

The word 'artist' came into English through French 'artiste' from Italian 'artista', which itself comes from Latin 'ars' meaning skill, craft, or art. Originally in English it referred to a scholar or someone skilled in the liberal arts. By the 17th century it had shifted toward the modern meaning of someone skilled in the fine arts, particularly painting and sculpture.

First known use

1563

1563, in the meaning defined at sense 4c