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sartorial

American  
[sahr-tawr-ee-uhl, -tohr-] / sɑrˈtɔr i əl, -ˈtoʊr- /

adjective

  1. of or relating to tailors or their trade.

    sartorial workmanship.

  2. of or relating to clothing or style or manner of dress.

    sartorial splendor.

  3. Anatomy. pertaining to the sartorius.


sartorial British  
/ sɑːˈtɔːrɪəl /

adjective

  1. of or relating to a tailor or to tailoring

  2. anatomy of or relating to the sartorius

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of sartorial

First recorded in 1815–25; from Late Latin sartor “tailor” + -ial

Explanation

If it's the day before a big event and you have no idea what to wear and nothing in your closet is going to cut it, you are facing a sartorial dilemma — one that pertains to clothing, fashion, or dressing. Sartorial comes from the Modern Latin word sartor which means "tailor," literally "one who patches and mends." In English the adjectives sartorial and sartorially are used to refer to any matter pertaining to the consideration of clothing or fashion. The root word sartor has also made its way into the field of biology. The sartorius — a muscle in the leg and the longest muscle in the human body — gets its name because it is used when crossing the legs, also known as the “tailor's position."

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Vocabulary lists containing sartorial

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Sartorial glamour is tied to the tasteful presentation of an idealized shape — hence corsets, bustiers, shoulder pads, belts and cummerbunds.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 23, 2023

Sartorial met the aquatic on Tuesday at Botter’s co-ed show of crisp lapels, boxy jackets and poetical cutaways.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 27, 2022

Sartorial supremacy isn’t the main reason to watch “Into the Badlands,” of course.

From Salon • Mar. 23, 2019

Sartorial highlights included a figure-hugging black leather catsuit, a summery pink frock lit by LED lights and a silver gown encrusted with crystals.

From BBC • Jun. 28, 2015

Sartorial men; ninth-parts of a man:—enough of them.

From The Correspondence of Thomas Carlyle and Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1834-1872, Vol. I by Carlyle, Thomas

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