dressmaker

American  

[dres-mey-ker] / ˈdrɛsˌmeɪ kər /

noun

1. a person whose occupation is the making or alteration of women's dresses, coats, etc.

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adjective

1. (of women's clothing) having soft lines or elaborate detail.

dressmaker British  

/ ˈdrɛsˌmeɪkə /

noun

1. a person whose occupation is making clothes, esp for women

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Other Word Forms

• dressmaking noun

Etymology

Origin of dressmaker

First recorded in 1795–1805; dress + maker

Example Sentences

Federal data show the typical annual wage for a dressmaker is about $43,000 a year, but some tailors and seamstresses can make more.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

Santoyo, the dressmaker, said the latest crisis "does bring the community together, helping each other through these tough times."

From Barron's • Oct. 13, 2025

The latter, named after Tiana’s dressmaker mother, features housewares and New Orleans-themed decor.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 14, 2024

Ovations at the Met were a long way from small-town Adjud, Romania, where she was born in 1965 to a dressmaker mother and a train operator father.

From New York Times • Apr. 7, 2023

"Turn, dear," said Flora Baumbach, the dressmaker, who lived and worked in a smaller apartment on the second floor.

From "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin