A silversmith is a craftsperson who makes or repairs objects out of silver, such as jewelry, dishes, or decorative items. They shape, carve, and sometimes engrave the metal.
“Silversmith” combines “silver,” the metal, with “smith,” an old word for a metalworker or craftsman, from Old English “smið.” The pattern is like “blacksmith” or “goldsmith.” It literally means ‘silver worker.’
Smith is one of the most common surnames in English because metalworkers were so important; silversmith is one specialized branch of that ancient job. Before factories, almost every silver spoon or cup passed through a human smith’s hands. The word keeps that artisan world alive inside modern English.
Historically, silversmithing guilds and workshops in Europe and North America were dominated by men, with women's contributions often recorded only when they were widows continuing a husband's business or working anonymously in family shops. This has led to under-recognition of women artisans in metalwork.
Use gender-neutral terms like 'silversmith' for any practitioner, and avoid assuming the gender of historical or contemporary silversmiths without evidence.
["metalworker","jewelry maker","artisan"]
When discussing silversmithing history, note that women and girls frequently worked in family workshops, design, polishing, and sales, even when records listed only male heads of household.
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