# handicraft

/ˈhændiˌkɹæft/ (US) · /hˈændɪkɹˌɑːft/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/handicraft
Updated: 2026-10-17

## Definition

something useful or pretty that you make by hand, like a basket, pot, or carving. You use this word for both the object and the skill of making it.

For teachers: skilled work done by hand to make useful or decorative objects, or an object made in this way.

## Examples

- She sells handmade soap as a handicraft at the market.
- The village shop sells local handicraft like woven baskets and carved wooden toys.
- The museum preserves regional handicraft, showing how generations shaped clay, wood, and textiles into both tools and art.

## Usage notes

- Often pluralized as handicrafts when referring to individual objects; singular mass use for the skill itself.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.