Craftsmanlike
/ˈkræfts.mən.laɪk/noun
Resembling or characteristic of a skilled craftsman; skillful and carefully made.
Did you know?Its core comes from Old English cræft, which originally meant power, skill, or strength—so a “craftsman” was once someone whose ability was almost a kind of force.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*kraftaz
“Strength, power, skill”
Old English
OE
cræft
“Strength, skill, art, or cunning”
Old English
OE
mann
“Man, person”
Middle English
ME
craftesman
“A skilled worker or artisan”
Modern English
English
craftsmanlike
“Having the qualities or manner of a skilled craftsman”
Explore more surprising origins