Musician
/mjuːˈzɪʃən/noun
A person who plays a musical instrument, sings, composes, or performs music.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from the Greek Muses, the nine divine patrons of art and memory, so a “musician” is etymologically tied to inspiration from the gods.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
μοῦσα (moûsa)
“a Muse; one of the divine goddesses of art, song, and memory”
Late Greek
Greek
μουσικός (mousikós)
“of the Muses; skilled in music or the arts”
Latin
Latin
musicianus / musicus
“musical; connected with music or the arts”
Old French
Old French
musicien
“a musician; one skilled in music”
Middle English
English
musicien
“a musician; a performer or maker of music”
Modern English
English
musician
“a person who plays, sings, or composes music”