basketry

IPA/ˈbɑːskɪtri/
KK[bˈæskətri]IPA/ˈbæskɪtri/

basketry — noun

1. the skill or activity of creating baskets and other useful items by weaving thin

1.nounB2
Definition

the skill or activity of creating baskets and other useful items by weaving thin pieces of wood, plastic, or other bendable materials together by hand

Example

Hoa learned basketry from her grandmother during summer visits to the countryside.

learn + from [person]

The museum exhibition showed examples of traditional basketry from communities across West Africa.

traditional basketry from [region]

Common collocations
  • learn basketry
  • traditional basketry
  • basketry workshop
  • basketry techniques
  • practise basketry
Synonyms
  • basket weaving

    more commonly used for the hobby or leisure activity; slightly less formal than basketry

  • basket making

    focuses on the end product rather than the weaving technique itself

  • wickerwork

    specifically refers to items made from wicker (woven willow); narrower material scope

Usage Note

Only sense that refers to the activity or skill rather than the finished objects. Frequently paired with nouns describing classes or settings: basketry workshop, basketry course, basketry demonstration.

Common Mistakes

She bought a lovely basketry from the market.
She bought a lovely basket from the market.
Use 'basket' for a single item; 'basketry' as a craft is uncountable and not used for individual objects.
I practise basketry every weekend by making trays and bowls.
I practise basket weaving every weekend by making trays and bowls.
'Basketry' can refer to the craft, but 'basket weaving' or 'basket making' is more natural for a hobby context.

2. items such as baskets, trays, hats, and containers that are produced by weaving

2.nounB2
Definition

items such as baskets, trays, hats, and containers that are produced by weaving flexible plant materials, strips of wood, or other materials together, often considered as a type of craft

Example

Tara decorated her kitchen with colourful basketry from her travels in Southeast Asia.

colourful basketry

The stall at the market sold sturdy basketry for storing dried fruit, nuts, and vegetables.

Common collocations
  • colourful basketry
  • intricate basketry
  • traditional basketry
  • delicate basketry
  • handmade basketry
Synonyms
  • basketwork

    a direct synonym but far less common in everyday language

  • wovenware

    general term for any items produced by weaving; broader than basketry

  • wickerwork

    specifically describes items woven from wicker; overlaps with basketry but implies willow or rattan material

Usage Note

Refers to woven items as a category, not to a single piece. Frequently modified by adjectives describing appearance (intricate, colourful, traditional, delicate). Cannot be used as a count noun for one object — say 'a basket' not 'a basketry'.

Common Mistakes

I bought three basketry at the craft fair.
I bought three baskets at the craft fair.
'Basketry' is uncountable; for individual items use 'basket', 'tray', etc.
The basketry in the window was made by a local artist.' (referring to one item)
The basket in the window was made by a local artist.
Use 'the basketry' only when referring to the objects as a general category, not a single piece.

Word family

  • basket
    nounA2
  • basket maker
    nounB1
  • basket weaving
    nounB1
  • basket making
    nounB1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three terms describe the activity of creating baskets and similar items, but they differ in scope and register. 'Basket weaving' is the most common everyday expression and often appears in the context of hobbies or crafts classes ('she took up basket weaving as a retirement hobby'). 'Basket making' is more practical and product-focused, emphasising the finished objects rather than the technique. 'Basketry' itself sits closer to the formal or artisanal end of the spectrum — it appears in museum labels, craft guilds, and academic descriptions of Indigenous craft traditions. 'Wickerwork' is the narrowest of the four, referring specifically to items woven from willow wicker or rattan; you might call a chair 'wickerwork' but not 'basketry'. Choose 'basketry' when the focus is on the cultural or artistic tradition; use 'basket weaving' for a casual hobby or class setting.

basket weavingbasket makingwickerwork

Common collocations

Phrases

  • examples of basketry
  • pieces of basketry
  • traditions of basketry

Etymology

LatinCelticAnglo-FrenchEnglish

Basketry comes from the word 'basket' combined with the suffix '-ry', which turns a noun into another noun meaning 'the art or practice of' (as in 'pottery', 'carpentry', 'joinery'). The word 'basket' itself entered English through Anglo-French around the 1200s, and may ultimately derive from Latin 'bascauda' (a type of serving vessel) or from a Celtic source — similar words exist in Welsh ('basged') and Cornish ('baskod').

First known use

1851

1851, in the meaning defined at sense 1