ˈhandiˈcraftsman
Formerly also as 2 words, or with 1 or 2 hyphens; also β. handicraftman.
[lit. handicraft's man, man of handicraft: cf. craftsman.]
A man who exercises a handicraft; one employed in a manual occupation.
| 1551 Robinson tr. More's Utop. ii. iv. (1895) 148 A handicraftes man doth so earnestly bestowe hys vacaunte and spare houres in learninge. 1586 T. B. La Primand. Fr. Acad. 1. 698 Bakers, Cookes, Vintners, and other handy⁓crafts-men. 1603 Holland Plutarch's Mor. 450 All other artisans and handi-craftsmen. 1758 J. Blake Plan Mar. Syst. 23 All the handy-crafts-men..particularly carpenter's mates, caulkers. 1849 Ruskin Sev. Lamps v. §24. 160 From the mass of available handicraftsmen the power is gone. |
| β 1580 Hollyband Treas. Fr. Tong, Gens de mestier, handiecraft men. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. iv. ii. 10 The best wit of any handycraft man in Athens. 1660 R. Coke Justice Vind. 24 Mechanical handicraft-men, and husbandmen. 1788 Priestley Lect. Hist. v. li 394 No security for handicraftmen and traders. 1854 Hawthorne Eng. Note-Bks. (1879) II. 346 Be he..scholar, handicraftman, or what not. |
Hence
ˈhandiˈcraftsmanship.
| 1882 Pall Mall G. 13 Nov. 4 The man who best united literary handicraftsmanship with the highest scientific and technical mastery of his subject. |