taille

[ teyl; French tah-yuh ]
/ teɪl; French ˈtɑ yə /

noun, plural tailles [teylz; French tah-yuh]. /teɪlz; French ˈtɑ yə/.

French History. a tax that was levied by a king or seigneur on his subjects or on lands held under him and that became solely a royal tax in the 15th century from which the lords and later the clergy were exempt.
(in dressmaking) the waist or bodice of a garment.
Obsolete. the shape of one's body from shoulders to waist; figure; build.

QUIZZES

DON’T VACILLATE! VANQUISH THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!

It’d be a real faux pas to miss this quiz on the words from August 3–9, 2020!
Question 1 of 7
What does “vacillate” mean?
to waver in mind or opinion; be indecisive or irresolute.
to cause to be empty or unoccupied.
to assent tacitly; agree; consent.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of taille

1545–55; <French: literally, a cutting; see tail2

Words nearby taille

tailgate, tailgater, tail-heavy, tailing, tailings, taille, Tailleferre, tailleur, taillight, tail off, tailor
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for taille

British Dictionary definitions for taille

taille
/ (taɪ, French tɑj) /

noun plural tailles (taɪ, taɪz, French tɑj)

(in France before 1789) a tax levied by a king or overlord on his subjects

Word Origin for taille

C17: from French, from Old French taillier to shape; see tailor
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