arty

1 of 2

adjective

ˈär-tē How to pronounce arty (audio)
artier; artiest
: showily or pretentiously artistic
arty lighting and photography
artily
ˈär-tə-lē How to pronounce arty (audio)
adverb
artiness
ˈär-tē-nəs How to pronounce arty (audio)
noun

arty

2 of 2

abbreviation

artillery

Examples of arty in a Sentence

Adjective some arty intellectual type who doesn't know the meaning of hard work a rock band with arty pretensions
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.
Adjective
Jules eventually shows up, arty and mature. — Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026 Ed Bahlman produced arty bands like the Bush Tetras and Liquid Liquid. — Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2026 At the same time, there’s a harplike, Vangelis-adjacent melody and some cybernetic singing from arty chanteuse Zola Jesus. — Reed Jackson, SPIN, 8 May 2026 Well versed in what the lunar surface truly offers, Britt scolded a number of arty accounts of lunar territory promulgated by both NASA and commercial space ventures. — Leonard David, Space.com, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for arty

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

art entry 1 + -y entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1901, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of arty was in 1901

Phrases Containing arty

Rhymes for arty

See All Rhymes for arty

Browse Nearby Words

artwork
arty
Arua
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Arty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arty. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on arty

Nglish: Translation of arty for Spanish Speakers

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