fine art

noun

1
a
: art (such as painting, sculpture, or music) concerned primarily with the creation of beautiful objects
—usually plural
b
: objects of fine art
2
: an activity requiring a fine skill

Examples of fine art in a Sentence

a collector of fine art She studies painting in the department of fine arts. We saw the sculpture at the Museum of Fine Arts. the fine art of gourmet cooking
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The composition courses would be for seniors, according to Thomas Skobel, the East Aurora High School’s division chair for English and fine arts, while the speech course would be open to juniors and seniors. — Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 27 Aug. 2026 Zhang, a fashion and fine art photographer who was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2018 and whose work has appeared in Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and Time, founded Cara, a public benefit corporation, in late 2022. — Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026 Threinen, a 1974 San Diego State fine arts graduate, was advertising art director and staff artist at Surfing Magazine. — Barbara Bry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026 Now that Les Lalanne have proven themselves to be big business at auction houses, the question is whether their legacy can be seen as more than just design, but fine art. — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fine art

Word History

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of fine art was in 1686

Rhymes for fine art

See All Rhymes for fine art

Browse Nearby Words

fine and dandy
fine art
finebent
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fine art.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fine%20art. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

fine art

noun
: art (as painting, sculpture, or music) concerned mainly with the creation of beautiful objects
—usually used in plural

More from Merriam-Webster on fine art

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fine art

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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