designer

American  

[dih-zahy-ner] / dɪˈzaɪ nər /

noun

1. a person who devises or executes designs, especially one who creates forms, structures, and patterns, as for works of art or machines.

2. a schemer, intriguer, or plotter.

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adjective

1. designed or created by or carrying a label or identification of a designer, especially a fashion designer, but often mass-produced.

   designer jeans.

2. created for intentional effect through chemical or genetic modification, as for a designer drug, or through crossbreeding, as for a designer dog.

designer British  

/ dɪˈzaɪnə /

noun

1. a person who devises and executes designs, as for works of art, clothes, machines, etc

2. (modifier) designed by and bearing the label or signature of a well-known fashion designer

   designer jeans

3. (modifier) (of things, ideas, etc) having an appearance of fashionable trendiness

   designer pop songs

   designer stubble

4. (modifier) (of cells, chemicals, etc) designed (or produced) to perform a specific function or combat a specific problem

   designer insecticide

5. (modifier) (of an animal) cross-bred for a specific purpose, such as looks, temperament, or likelihood of causing an allergy

   designer dogs

6. a person who devises plots or schemes; intriguer

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Other Word Forms

• self-designer
  noun

Etymology

Origin of designer

First recorded in 1640–50; design + -er ¹

Explanation

A designer is a person who plans how something will look. An architect is a designer of buildings, drawing detailed blueprints indicating what the structures should look like and how they should be built. The word designer came into English in the seventeenth century meaning "one who schemes." The word soon came to describe someone who figures out how something should look, especially something artistic. If you're reading a newspaper, a graphic designer planned how the text and images should look on each page. You might also be familiar with a fashion designer, someone who comes up with a vision for a garment and creates sketches to show what the finished product will look like.

Example Sentences

Instead, just encourage all the rich people there to keep doing what they’re already doing — namely spending ridiculous amounts of money on ridiculous designer clothes.

From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026

Troye Sivan channeled photographer Robert Mapplethorpe in tousled hair and designer jeans.

From Salon • May 6, 2026

In unofficial results, he defeated Casey Putsch, a car designer with an automotive-themed YouTube channel, for a place in the general election, according to US media reports.

From BBC • May 5, 2026

The dish is a Ukrainian delicacy from Sokol’s home country, where she was once a fashion designer and influencer.

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026

Given the high visibility factor, every designer in the world wants to dress me for my grand-jury appearance.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

Related Words

• architect
• author
• engineer
• fashion designer
• inventor
• maker
• planner
• producer