pinstripe

noun

pin·​stripe ˈpin-ˌstrīp 

variants or less commonly pin-stripe or pin stripe

plural pinstripes also pin-stripes or pin stripes

1

: a very thin stripe especially on a fabric

… sporting a loose brown vest with tan and blue pinstripes …

—Donnell Alexander

—often used before another noun

pinstripe pants

a pin-stripe blazer

2

: clothing (especially a suit) with such stripes

—often plural

wore pinstripes to the office

pin-striped

ˈpin-ˌstrīpt 

adjective

or pinstriped

pin-striped pants

Examples of pinstripe in a Sentence

a dark suit with white pinstripes

a man dressed in pinstripes

Recent Examples on the Web

Barker, who showed off some PDA by resting his hand on his wife’s butt, opted for a cream pinstripe suit and an unbuttoned red collared dress shirt. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 1 Nov. 2026

Against the masculine lines of her pinstripe tailoring, that deliberately softened mouth offers necessary contrast. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2026

The ivory pinstripe suit — look 41 on the runway — featured an oversized, double-breasted jacket with sharp shoulders, peaked lapels and a plunging neckline that went all the way down to her waist. — Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2026

Outside of the Bronx, everybody hated the Yankees – until the 2001 World Series, when the nation’s sympathies were extended to the team in pinstripes. — Don Riddell, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1863, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pinstripe

• bagpipe
• blowpipe
• standpipe
• stovepipe
• subtype
• tailpipe
• unripe
• windpipe
• allotype
• antitype
• archetype
• biotype

Kids Definition

pinstripe

noun

pin·​stripe ˈpin-ˌstrīp 

: a very thin stripe on a fabric

also : a suit with such stripes

pin-striped

-ˌstrīpt

adjective