'craftswoman' originates from the combination of 'craft' and 'woman', where 'craft' meant 'skill or art' and 'woman' referred to a female person.

'craftswoman' evolved from the Old English word 'cræft' meaning 'skill' and 'wīfmann' meaning 'woman', eventually becoming the modern English word 'craftswoman'.

Initially, it meant 'a woman skilled in a particular trade or art', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.