blacksmith

noun

black·​smith ˈblak-ˌsmith How to pronounce blacksmith (audio)
: a smith who forges iron
blacksmithing noun

Examples of blacksmith in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Like a chimney sweep, a blacksmith is often covered in soot. Emily Langer, Washington Post, 23 June 2023 The town was home to copper shops, a stove factory, three blacksmiths, a rye whisky distillery, a cheese factory, dry goods and general stores, and a wagon and carriage manufacturer. Detroit Free Press, 4 Mar. 2024 His father, George, owned 25,000 acres of land and operated large plantations in Virginia, relying on enslaved people to work as carpenters, coopers, sawyers, blacksmiths, tanners, shoemakers, spinners, weavers, knitters, distillers, cooks, laundry maids and field laborers. Sue Eisenfeld, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Feb. 2024 The amateur blacksmiths were hard at work: heating metal rods, then hammering them into shape. Amelia Nierenberg, New York Times, 25 Dec. 2023 Not long after, Billy killed a blacksmith in Camp Grant, Arizona, according to legend. Angelica Stabile, Fox News, 23 Nov. 2023 Moreover, the Fowler’s exhibition didn’t simply show that many African cultures, such as the Dogon of Mali or the Bantu-speaking Kongo, were remarkable blacksmiths. Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2023 Transylvania, Romania’s largest and most famous region, is a place where blacksmiths still mold metal, shepherds live alone with their flocks, and hay is cut with scythes. Kate Eshelby, Travel + Leisure, 16 Sep. 2023 Slave auction sales included carpenters, blacksmiths and shoemakers. Rodney Coates, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'blacksmith.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English blaksmyth, from blak black entry 1 + smyth smith; from a distinction between black metal (iron) and white metal (tin)

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of blacksmith was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near blacksmith

Cite this Entry

“Blacksmith.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blacksmith. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

blacksmith

noun
black·​smith ˈblak-ˌsmith How to pronounce blacksmith (audio)
: a worker who shapes iron (as into horseshoes) by heating it and then hammering it on an iron block
blacksmithing noun

More from Merriam-Webster on blacksmith

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