tailor

1
[ tey-ler ]
See synonyms for: tailortailoredtailoring on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a person whose occupation is the making, mending, or altering of clothes, especially suits, coats, and other outer garments.

verb (used with object)
  1. to make by tailor's work.

  2. to fashion or adapt to a particular taste, purpose, need, etc.: to tailor one's actions to those of another.

  1. to fit or furnish with clothing.

  2. 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)
  1. to do the work of a tailor.

Origin of tailor

1
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 -or2

Words Nearby tailor

Other definitions for tailor (2 of 2)

tailor2
[ tey-ler ]

nounBritish Dialect.
  1. a stroke of a bell indicating someone's death; knell.

Origin of tailor

2
Alteration by folk etymology of teller

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use tailor in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tailor

tailor

/ (ˈteɪlə) /


noun
  1. a person who makes, repairs, or alters outer garments, esp menswear: Related adjective: sartorial

  2. a voracious and active marine food fish, Pomatomus saltator, of Australia with scissor-like teeth

verb
  1. to cut or style (material, clothes, etc) to satisfy certain requirements

  2. (tr) to adapt so as to make suitable for something specific: he tailored his speech to suit a younger audience

  1. (intr) to follow the occupation of a tailor

Origin of tailor

1
C13: from Anglo-Norman taillour, from Old French taillier to cut, from Latin tālea a cutting; related to Greek talis girl of marriageable age

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