tailor
1 Americannoun
verb (used with object)
-
tailors,
present (3rd person singular)
-
tailored,
past participle, past
-
tailoring
present participle
-
to make by tailor's work.
-
to fashion or adapt to a particular taste, purpose, need, etc..
to tailor one's actions to those of another.
-
to fit or furnish with clothing.
-
Chiefly U.S. Military. to make (a uniform) to order; cut (a ready-made uniform) so as to cause to fit more snugly; taper.
verb (used without object)
-
tailors,
present (3rd person singular)
-
tailored,
past participle, past
-
tailoring
present participle
noun
noun
-
a person who makes, repairs, or alters outer garments, esp menswear
-
a voracious and active marine food fish, Pomatomus saltator, of Australia with scissor-like teeth
verb
-
to cut or style (material, clothes, etc) to satisfy certain requirements
-
(tr) to adapt so as to make suitable for something specific
he tailored his speech to suit a younger audience
-
(intr) to follow the occupation of a tailor
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
tailorsimple
-
tailorssimple
-
have tailoredperfect
-
has tailoredperfect
-
am tailoringprogressive
-
are tailoringprogressive
-
is tailoringprogressive
-
have been tailoringperfect progressive
-
has been tailoringperfect progressive
Past
-
tailoredsimple
-
had tailoredperfect
-
was tailoringprogressive
-
were tailoringprogressive
-
had been tailoringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of tailor1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English (noun), from Anglo-French tailour, Old French tailleor, from taill(ier) “to cut” (from Late Latin tāliāre, derivative of Latin tālea “rod, cutting,” literally, “heel-piece”; see tally) + -or -or 2
Origin of tailor2
Alteration by folk etymology of teller
Explanation
A tailor helps make your clothes fit you better. Similarly, when you tailor something to the needs of others, you are adjusting what you do to best suit them rather than taking a general approach. The word tailor comes from the Latin taliare, meaning "to cut." A tailor is someone who cuts and adjusts your clothing to better fit. When you tailor a jacket, you have it taken in to better suit your physique. But tailor isn't used strictly in reference to clothing. For example, a restaurant might tailor an order for a vegetarian by getting rid of the meat in a portion. A teacher might tailor a lesson plan to the demands of her ESL students.
Vocabulary lists containing tailor
167 Vocabulary words from the Supreme Court's DOMA Decision
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Sewing Away
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
I Survived the Battle of D-Day, 1944
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
“TDFs are more of a blanket approach to saving. In retirement, you want a personalized approach that can tailor your withdrawal strategy to your personal situation. A TDF can’t give you that.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 19, 2026
"Practical, or 'small', AI can help a farmer improve yields, a teacher tailor instruction, a health worker make better-informed decisions, or an entrepreneur reach new customers," he said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
Made in collaboration with designer and tailor Alex Navarro and stylist Alexandra Mandelkorn and paid for by a mysterious benefactor Monáe has called “a fairy Halloween mother.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026
Fabric is imported from Thailand and Vietnam before a specialist tailor makes a sample for other employees to follow.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
“Convicts in the tailor shop,” my dad whispers in my ear.
From "Al Capone Does My Shirts" by Gennifer Choldenko
Now, with AI, an attacker can design a worm that tailors the attack strategy to that device's specifics and these vulnerabilities can be different.
From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026
The dishwasher camera tailors washes for optimal energy efficiency and finally solves the mystery of what goes on inside there during the cycle.
From Slate ● Sep. 14, 2026
As a part of the pathway, Johnson tailors classroom support to help her students who want to further their careers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026
The supply chain goes beyond retailers like Sekky and includes importers, wholesalers, tailors who mend damaged mitumba and those who sell food and drink at the markets.
From BBC ● May 23, 2026
I had new clothes, made by tailors in the camp who ripped apart military uniforms at the seams and refashioned them into civilian clothes.
From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson
Plaid ministers say it would allow for a more effective system tailored to Welsh communities and better integrated with health, housing and education.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
Daniels felt the rules were capricious, and perhaps personally tailored to obstruct her: the prohibition on props, the three-minute time limit, the penalty of “trespass” for those in violation.
From Slate ● Oct. 28, 2026
He said the latest findings underscore the need for larger studies examining the different states cancer cells can adopt and how treatments might be tailored to target them.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 2026
It is an immense undertaking, with every guide tailored to the voter’s local election.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 18, 2026
Still, he refused to let it go; it was the only thing, he said, that matched his muddy, sopping, finely tailored suit.
From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs
It is “guilt-by-association,” and the group argues that the blanket ban lacks tailoring for specific safety concerns.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2026
What is it about tailoring itself that continues to fascinate you, and do you see pleasure in the discipline and restraint of a perfectly constructed garment?
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
More than five decades on from opening his first store, Sir Paul's company has become one of the leading British fashion brands, known for its signature stripes and colourful twists on traditional British tailoring.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
Rather than modernizing the home through an extensive renovation, however, the couple chose to preserve its midcentury character while tailoring other elements of the dwelling to their lifestyle.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
“And no amount of blood, sweat, or fine tailoring will ever change that.”
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
