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artisanal

ar-TIZ-uh-nul /ɑːrˈtɪzənəl/

adjectiveB2IELTS

neutralmarketing

Relating to or characteristic of an artisan; made in a traditional or non-mechanized way using high-quality ingredients.

Often used to contrast with 'mass-produced' or 'industrial' food.

The story behind the word. An artisan was originally a person who practiced a 'liberal art.' In the Middle Ages, this meant someone who belonged to a guild and had reached a high level of technical mastery.

Word relationships

handcrafted: Handcrafted is more general; artisanal specifically implies the skill of a trained craftsman (artisan).
traditional: Traditional refers to the age of the method; artisanal refers to the skill and scale of the maker.

mass-produced: Produced in large quantities by machinery.
industrial: Relating to large-scale manufacturing.

Word family

artisan (noun): A worker in a skilled trade, especially one that involves making things by hand.

Collocations

artisanal cheese
artisanal bread
artisanal methods
artisanal production

Example sentences

"The bakery specializes in artisanal sourdough bread, fermented for 24 hours." Describing a local bakery.
"The movement toward artisanal cheese has revived many dying rural traditions." Discussing the rise of small-batch products.

Memory hook

Art-is-anal: There is 'art' in the 'anal'-ysis of the craft. The art of the maker.

When not to use

Be careful using it for products from large corporations that use 'artisanal' as a marketing buzzword without actually using traditional methods.

Fun facts

In the 16th century, the distinction between an 'artist' and an 'artisan' was much smaller than it is today.