1580s, "one who cultivates one of the fine arts," from French artiste (14c.), from Italian artista, from Medieval Latin artista, from Latin ars (see art (n.)).

Originally especially of the arts presided over by the Muses (history, poetry, comedy, tragedy, music, dancing, astronomy), but also used 17c. for "one skilled in any art or craft" (including professors, surgeons, craftsmen, cooks). Since mid-18c. especially of "one who practices the arts of design or visual arts."

"artistic quality," 1837, from artist + -ry; as chemistry from chemist, etc.

"artist who draws cartoons," 1855, from cartoon (n.) + -ist.

also striptease, 1936, perhaps a back-formation from stripteaser (1930); see strip (v.) + tease (n.). Strip (v.) and tease (v.) both were used in this sense in late 1920s. Life magazine used strippeuse (1938-40).

"pertaining to art or artists" in any sense, but especially in the aesthetic sense; also "characterized by conformity with one of the fine arts; displaying excellence of design and execution," 1753, from French artistique, from artiste (see artist). Native artist-like was recorded from 1711; artistly from 1754; artistical from 1798. Related: Artistically.

1881, leotards, named for Jules Léotard (1830-1870), popular French trapeze artist, who performed in such a garment.

"escape artist or other ingenious person," 1923, from Harry Houdini, professional name of U.S. escapist Erich Weiss (1874-1926).

by 1809, "of, pertaining to, or produced by Phidias," the most eminent artist of Athens at the height of her glory, 5c. B.C.E.

1824, "a work of art made in exact likeness of another and by the same artist," from Italian replica "copy, repetition, reply," from replicare "to duplicate," from Latin replicare "to repeat," in classical Latin "fold back, fold over, bend back," from re- "back, again" (see re-) + plicare "to fold" (from PIE root *plek- "to plait").

Properly, a duplicate work made by the same artist and thus considered as an original, not a copy. General sense of "any copy, reproduction, or facsimile" is by 1865.

1620s, "flat, thin tablet, with a hole at one end for the thumb, used by an artist to lay and mix colors," from French palette, from Old French palete "small shovel, blade" (13c.) diminutive of pale "shovel, blade," from Latin pala "spade, shoulder blade," probably from PIE *pag-slo-, suffixed form of root *pag- "to fasten." Transferred sense of "colors used by a particular artist" is from 1882. Palette-knife, originally one used by artists for mixing colors, is attested by 1759.