buttonhole

1 of 3

noun

but·​ton·​hole ˈbə-tᵊn-ˌhōl 

1

: a slit or loop through which a button is passed

2

chiefly British : boutonniere

buttonhole

2 of 3

verb (1)

buttonholed; buttonholing; buttonholes

transitive verb

1

: to furnish with buttonholes

2

: to work with buttonhole stitch

buttonholer

ˈbə-tᵊn-ˌhō-lər 

noun

buttonhole

3 of 3

verb (2)

buttonholed; buttonholing; buttonholes

transitive verb

: to detain in conversation by or as if by holding on to the outer garments of

Did you know?

Buttonhole is easy to pin down as a noun referring to the slit or loop through which a button is passed to fasten something, but its shift to a verb meaning "to detain in conversation" requires some explanation. Buttonhole is an alteration of another verb now long out of use: buttonhold, which literally meant to hold on to the buttons or lapels of someone's coat when speaking to him or her. In the mid-19th century, English speakers altered the verb to buttonhole, perhaps as a result of hearing buttonhold as buttonholed. The overlap is apparent in an early instance of this spelling in an 1862 London publication called All Year Round: "The man who is button-holed, or held … and must listen to half an hour's harangue about nothing interesting."

Examples of buttonhole in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In some cases, one artisan handles a single detail: the slope of a shoulder, the roll of a collar, the precise placement of a buttonhole. —Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025

These wares are made in small workshops in Italy and Portugal, where craftspeople infuse them with high-end details such as hand-sewn buttonholes and silk bar tacks, a form of stitching that reinforces seams and pockets. —Aleks Cvetkovic, Robb Report, 26 Jan. 2025

Verb

In the minutes before the vote Tuesday evening, Republican leaders could be seen buttonholing defectors on the House floor, imploring them to support the budget resolution. —Compiled By Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 26 Feb. 2025

Grant encouraged Ross to buttonhole Raoul Fleischmann, who was the heir to a baking fortune yet bored with his lot. —David Remnick, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb (2)

alteration of buttonhold

First Known Use

Noun

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

1852, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1848, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing buttonhole

• buttonhole stitch

Rhymes for buttonhole

• amphibole
• asystole
• casserole
• centriole
• decontrol
• glycerol
• metropole
• monopole
• multipole
• omeprazole
• oriole
• petiole

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Kids Definition

buttonhole

1 of 2 noun

but·​ton·​hole ˈbət-ᵊn-ˌhōl 

: a slit or loop for fastening a button

buttonhole

2 of 2 verb

buttonholed; buttonholing

: to detain in conversation by or as if by holding on to the clothes of