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Added 9 October 2026

tailor

/ˈteɪlɚ/ noun

In Latin: sartor, sartrīx, scissor Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about tailor at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A person who makes, repairs, or alters clothes professionally, especially suits and men's clothing.
He works as a tailor on Swanston Street.
Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix).

verb

To make, repair, or alter clothes.
We can tailor that jacket for you if you like.
To make or adapt (something) for a specific need.
The website was tailored to the client's needs.
To restrict (something) in order to meet a particular need.
a narrowly tailored law

Origin

Inherited from Middle English taillour, from Anglo-Norman taillour, from Old French tailleor, from taillier, from Late Latin tāliō, from Latin tālea (“a cutting”). Doublet of tailleur. Compare typologically German Schneider (akin to English snithe); Macedonian кројач (krojač), Polish krawiec (akin to Proto-Slavic *krojiti).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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