Art
Middle English: via Old French from Latin ars, art- .
wiktionary
From Middle English art, from Old French art, from Latin artem, accusative of ars(“art”). Displaced native Old English cræft (Modern English craft) and Old English list (Modern English list).
From Middle English art, from Old English eart(“(thou) art”), second-person singular present indicative of wesan, from Proto-Germanic *ar-t(“(thou) art", originally, "(thou) becamest”), second-person singular preterite indicative form of *iraną(“to rise, be quick, become active”), from Proto-Indo-European *er-, *or(w)-(“to lift, rise, set in motion”). Cognate with Faroese ert(“art”), Icelandic ert(“art”), Old English earon(“are”), from the same preterite-present Germanic verb. More at are.
etymonline
art (n.)
early 13c., "skill as a result of learning or practice," from Old French art (10c.), from Latin artem (nominative ars) "work of art; practical skill; a business, craft," from PIE *ar(ə)-ti- (source also of Sanskrit rtih "manner, mode;" Greek artizein "to prepare"), suffixed form of root *ar- "to fit together." Etymologically akin to Latin arma "weapons."
In Middle English usually with a sense of "skill in scholarship and learning" (c. 1300), especially in the seven sciences, or liberal arts. This sense remains in Bachelor of Arts, etc. Meaning "human workmanship" (as opposed to nature) is from late 14c. Meaning "system of rules and traditions for performing certain actions" is from late 15c. Sense of "skill in cunning and trickery" first attested late 16c. (the sense in artful, artless). Meaning "skill in creative arts" is first recorded 1610s; especially of painting, sculpture, etc., from 1660s.
Supreme art is a traditional statement of certain heroic and religious truths, passed on from age to age, modified by individual genius, but never abandoned. The revolt of individualism came because the tradition had become degraded, or rather because a spurious copy had been accepted in its stead. [William Butler Yeats, journal, 1909]
Expression art for art's sake (1824) translates French l'art pour l'art. First record of art critic is from 1847. Arts and crafts "decorative design and handcraft" first attested in the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society, founded in London, 1888.
art (v.)
second person singular present indicative of be; Old English eart. Also see are (v.). It became archaic in the 1800s.
art (adj.)
"produced with conscious artistry" (as opposed to popular or folk), 1890, from art (n.), possibly from influence of German kunstlied "art song." Art film is from 1960; art rock from 1968.
