An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Art
Art, f., ‘kind, sort, species, manner,’ from MidHG. art, m., f., ‘innate peculiarity, nature, condition, kind’; OHG. art, is not recorded with these meanings, nor is the word found elsewhere. Instead of this there occurs the homonymous OHG. art, f., ‘tillage, ploughing,’ with which artôn, ‘to inhabit, cultivate,’ is connected; further, OSax. ard, m., ‘dwelling-place,’ AS. eard, m., ‘dwelling, native place,’ OIc. ǫrð), f., ‘harvest, produce.’ These cognates, which belong (see Acker) to an OTeut. and Aryan root, ar, ‘to plough’ (Lat. arare, Gr. ἀρόω, &c.), are scarcely allied to MidHG. art, m., f., ‘nature, condition’; comp., however, Wohnung from gewöhnen. It is more probable that Art is connected with Lat. ars (gen. plur. arti-um), ‘method, art,’ and Sans. ṛtá, ‘method.’ The compounds Artacker, artbar, arthaft contain MidHG. and OHG. art, ‘agriculture, tillage,’ and belong consequently to the Teut. and Aryan root ar, ‘to plough.’