artisanal

ar·ti·san·al
A1R1T1I1S1A1N1A1L1
US/ˈɑɹtəzən(ə)l/US/ɑɹˈtɪzən(ə)l/UK/ɑːˈtɪzən(ə)l/

adjective

Of or pertaining to artisans or the work of artisans.

UncommonScrabble 9

Meanings

adjectiveartisanal (not comparable)
  1. not comparableOf or pertaining to artisans or the work of artisans.

    The fashion plate still retained its essentially artisanal character, and involved a process of several stages.

    1998, Valerie Steele, Paris Fashion: A Cultural History, Berg, published 2006, →ISBN, page 112
    2 more examples

    In short, the young artist was developing a special respect for an aesthetic as well as an artisanal tradition that would set him apart from his future Impressionist colleagues.

    1997, Douglas W. Druick, Renoir, Art Institute of Chicago, →ISBN, page 13

    It was the labor of the majority that funded the trading expeditions, military conquests, and artisanal expertise responsible for the great works of art and architecture that we still admire today.

    1999, Susan Pollock, Ancient Mesopotamia, Cambridge University Press, published 2004, →ISBN, page 1
  2. not comparableInvolving skilled work, with comparatively little reliance on machinery.

    “In addition, the artisanal mode of production promotes a stable cartel organization of industry by limiting output.”

    1995, Richard A. Posner, Overcoming Law, Harvard University Press, page 46
    2 more examples

    Five species of penaeid shrimp are of commercial importance to both the artisanal and industrial fisheries of the northeast South America continental shelf.

    2001, S. Kuruvilla, L. Ferreira, S. Soomai, A. Jacque, edited by Uwe Tietze, Report of the Regional Workshop on the Effects of Globalization and Deregulation on Fisheries in the Caribbean, III.8: Economic Performance and Technological Features of Marine Capture Fisheries: The Trawl Fishery of Trinidad and Tobago, page 119

    Of the 200 nautical miles of Chilean EEZ, the major part (195 miles) is reserved for industrial fishing, while artisanal fishing has a mere 5 miles (LPA, 1991, Art. 3 and 4).

    2008, Gloria L. Gallardo Fernández, From Seascapes of Exinction to Seascapes of Confidence, page 70

    Synonyms: nonindustrial, preindustrial, small-scale

  3. not comparableespecially a foodstuffMade by an artisan (skilled worker).

    A sprinkle of aged artisanal soy sauce (my latest obsession) makes this simple dish seem like a feast.

    2007 August, Ruth Reichl, “Letter from the Editor”, in Gourmet, page 18
    2 more examples

    I could not have imagined that there would be nationally distributed artisanal bread that rivaled or surpassed the quality of much of the locally produced bread or that this would be the main competition.

    2010, Thom Leonard, edited by Daniel T. DiMuzio, Bread Baking: An Artisan′s Perspective, Artisan Baker Profile: Thom Leonard, page 26

    To complement an artisanal cheese or a fresh loaf of rosemary bread, nothing compares to a glass of fine wine.

    2010 July—August, Leslie Southard, “The Art of Cooking”, in Log Home Living, page 71

    Synonyms: boutique, handmade

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveInvolving skilled work, with comparatively little reliance on machinery.

adjectiveMade by an artisan (skilled worker).

Origin

  1. Englishartisan
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  4. Englishartisanal

From artisan + -al.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian занаятчийски
  • занаятчийски (zanajatčijski)of or pertaining to artisans
Dutch ambachtelijk
  • ambachtelijkof or pertaining to artisans
Finnish käsityö-, käsityö-
  • käsityö-of or pertaining to artisans
  • käsityö-involving skilled work that is not very mechanised
  • käsintehty(of an item) made by artisans
French artisanal, artisanal
  • artisanalof or pertaining to artisans
  • artisanalinvolving skilled work that is not very mechanised
  • artisanal(of an item) made by artisans
German handwerklich, handwerklich
  • handwerklichof or pertaining to artisans
  • handwerklichinvolving skilled work that is not very mechanised
  • handwerklich hergestellt(of an item) made by artisans
Hungarian kézművesi, kisiparosi
  • kézművesiof or pertaining to artisans
  • kisiparosiof or pertaining to artisans
  • iparosiof or pertaining to artisans
  • mesteremberiof or pertaining to artisans
  • kézműipariinvolving skilled work that is not very mechanised
  • kisipariinvolving skilled work that is not very mechanised
  • kisüzemiinvolving skilled work that is not very mechanised
  • kézműves(of an item) made by artisans
Italian artigianale, manuale
  • artigianaleinvolving skilled work that is not very mechanised
  • manualeinvolving skilled work that is not very mechanised
Portuguese artesanal, artesanal
  • artesanalof or pertaining to artisans
  • artesanalinvolving skilled work that is not very mechanised
  • artesanal(of an item) made by artisans
Russian кустарный
  • кустарный (kustarnyj)involving skilled work that is not very mechanised
Swedish hantverks-, hantverkar-
  • hantverks-of or pertaining to artisans
  • hantverkar-of or pertaining to artisans
  • hantverksmässigof or pertaining to artisans
  • hantverksskickliginvolving skilled work that is not very mechanised
  • icke-industriellinvolving skilled work that is not very mechanised
Welsh crefftwrol, crefftwrol
  • crefftwrolof or pertaining to artisans
  • crefftwrol(of an item) made by artisans
Cite this entry
APA

artisanal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/artisanal

MLA

“artisanal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/artisanal. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “artisanal,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/artisanal.

Source: artisanal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.