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
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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:
Far from the solemn pomp of the Vatican, nestled under the arcades of the mountain town of Santarcangelo di Romagna, a tailor clad all in black leaned over his sketch.
From Barron's ● Aug. 22, 2026
Local areas will have some flexibility to tailor the regulations to their communities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
One industrial giant—General Motors GM -0.41%decrease; red down pointing triangle —is in the process of designing its own sodium-based batteries to tailor them to different applications before moving to mass production.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
That process takes about six months, which means scientists have to guess which strain will dominate the upcoming flu season and tailor the shot to it in advance.
From Slate ● Aug. 6, 2026
She could tailor both men’s and women’s clothes.
From "March Forward, Girl" by Melba Pattillo Beals
"Vietnam has no shortage of highly skilled tailors and hand embroiderers, but many of them are overlooked and do not receive the income they deserve," she says.
From BBC ● Jul. 5, 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
Like Marcus, Xavier and Dakorien hired local tailors to custom make their prom suits, then bought designer shoes to match.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 6, 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
A purple-suited man saunters in, followed by a train of powdered and prim-looking men carrying notebooks, and a set of tailors and seamstresses who wheel in massive spinning looms.
From "The Belles" by Dhonielle Clayton
The new scheme will specify confined areas for offenders in plans tailored to them and developed in consultation with victims.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
The good news is, per Gifford, that there are less generalized models out there that are tailored to much more exacting needs.
From Slate ● Aug. 21, 2026
"I'm still in my training period, so I'm feeling a little nervous," the self-described "intern" said in an earnest female voice, explaining how the school provided tailored courses and certification for specific robot jobs.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
To address the issue, the government plans to add technical education tailored to local labor market needs to the curriculum for children from age 14.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
“No, Harriet is young and she is quite pretty. She is considered one of the best dressed girls in this town, too. All her clothes are tailored specially for her.”
From "Stuart Little" by E.B. White
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
While the first two seasons often presented Lestat through structured tailoring and muted palettes, Season 3 arrives in a much louder world.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 20, 2026
It can however adjust how it oversees small- to midsize banks tailoring without congressional approval, Tamayo says, “and we think this is increasingly likely.”
From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026
"In farming, the person who uses a tractor is more efficient than the person who uses the horse. In the tailoring industry, we are still at the level where we are using the horse."
From BBC ● May 23, 2026
He ignored Jesper’s stung expression and doled kruge out to Wylan for explosives and to Nina for whatever she’d need in her tailoring kit.
From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo
Definitions 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.
