arts

UK: /ˈɑː^rts/

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

arts / ɑːts/ noun:plural

1. the arts ⇒ imaginative, creative, and nonscientific branches of knowledge considered collectively, esp as studied academically
2. (as modifier): an arts degree
3. See fine art
4. cunning or crafty actions or plots; schemes

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

art¹ /ɑrt/   n. 

1. Fine Art the making of things considered beautiful:
   [uncountable] Art is her field of activity.
2. Fine Art the objects produced in this way:
   [uncountable] a great collection of Japanese art.
3. the activity, skill, or subject of study concerned with producing such objects:
   [uncountable] majored in art in college.
4. Fine Art [countable] a field or category of art:
   Dance is an art.
5. any field using the skills or techniques of art:
   [uncountable] industrial art.
6. [uncountable] artwork (def. 2).
7. skill in conducting any human activity:
   [countable* usually singular] the art of conversation.
8. arts, [plural]
   • a branch of study in a college or university, including history, languages, music, philosophy, or literature, as opposed to scientific subjects.

art² /ɑrt/   v. Archaic.

1. second person singular present indicative form of the verb be used with "thou,'' an old form of "You'':
   Thou art.

-art, 

1. suffix. -art is a variant form of -ard. It is found in such words as: braggart.

art.,  an abbreviation of:

1. article.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

art¹  (ärt), n. 

1. Fine Art the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.
2. Fine Art the class of objects subject to aesthetic criteria;
   works of art collectively, as paintings, sculptures, or drawings:
   a museum of art; an art collection.
3. Fine Art a field, genre, or category of art:
   Dance is an art.
4. the fine arts collectively, often excluding architecture:
   art and architecture.
5. any field using the skills or techniques of art:
   advertising art; industrial art.
6. (in printed matter) illustrative or decorative material:
   Is there any art with the copy for this story?
7. the principles or methods governing any craft or branch of learning:
   the art of baking; the art of selling.
8. the craft or trade using these principles or methods.
9. skill in conducting any human activity:
   a master at the art of conversation.
10. a branch of learning or university study, esp. one of the fine arts or the humanities, as music, philosophy, or literature.
11. arts:
    • (used with a sing. v.) the humanities:
      a college of arts and sciences.
    • (used with a pl. v.) See liberal arts. 
12. skilled workmanship, execution, or agency, as distinguished from nature.
13. trickery;
    cunning:
    glib and devious art.
14. studied action;
    artificiality in behavior.
15. an artifice or artful device:
    the innumerable arts and wiles of politics.
16. [Archaic.] science, learning, or scholarship.

• Latin ars (nominative), artem (accusative)
• Old French, accusative of ars
• Middle English 1175–1225

art²  (ärt), v. [Archaic.]

1. 2nd pers. sing. pres. indic. of be. 

• bef. 950; Middle English; Old English eart, equivalent. to ear- (see are¹) + -t ending of 2nd pers. singular

Art  (ärt), n. 

1. a male given name, form of Arthur. 

ART, [Ling.]

1. Linguistics article: often used to represent the class of determiners, including words such as this, that, and some as well as the articles a, an, and
   the.

-art, 

1. var. of -ard:
   braggart.

art., pl. arts. for 1.

1. article;
   articles.
2. artificial.
3. Military artillery.
4. artist.