sartorial

adjective

sar·​to·​ri·​al sär-ˈtȯr-ē-əl How to pronounce sartorial (audio)
sər-,
sə-
: of or relating to a tailor or tailored clothes
broadly : of or relating to clothes
poor sartorial taste
sartorially adverb

Did you know?

It's easy to uncover the root of sartorial. Just strip off the suffix -ial and you discover the Latin noun sartor, meaning "tailor" (literally, "one who patches or mends"). Sartorial splendor has been the stuff of voguish magazines for years, and even sartor itself has occasionally proven fashionable, as it did in 1843, when Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote of "coats whose memory turns the sartor pale," or in the 1870 title The Sartor, or British journal of cutting, clothing, and fashion. Sartorial has been in style with English speakers since at least 1823.

Examples of sartorial in a Sentence

They accused him of having poor sartorial taste. The wedding party arrived in sartorial splendor.
Recent Examples on the Web The piece also touches on how Kim was influenced to launch a men’s version of her SKIMS shapewear line by her dad’s sartorial taste and interest in menswear. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 14 Nov. 2023 Fans of Prince, who was known nearly as much for his extravagant wardrobe as for his chart-topping hits, will have a chance to bid on some of the late musician’s sartorial splendor in an online auction this week. Steve Leblanc, Fortune, 14 Nov. 2023 This was a sartorial amuse bouche, ISM’s first ready-to-wear collection will launch next year. Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 14 Nov. 2023 The book explores the sartorial look of these and other shows, which Rubenstein has divided into themes, from period dramas like Mad Men and Brideshead Revisited to series that put an emphasis on female independence, including The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Scandal and Ally McBeal. Laurie Brookins, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Nov. 2023 But sneakers and a sweater would be just as sartorial and winter-ready. Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 3 Nov. 2023 One that can greatly simplify the routines of any clothes horse and improve the lives of his cohabitants by sparing them from sartorial clutter. Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2023 This campaign just personifies the pieces with Clemen’s approach to his sartorial designs. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 25 Oct. 2023 Even if Kelce’s sartorial game day choices aren’t to everyone’s tastes, no one can accuse the football player of wearing boring clothes. Sabienna Bowman, Peoplemag, 22 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sartorial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin sartor

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sartorial was in 1823

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Dictionary Entries Near sartorial

Cite this Entry

“Sartorial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sartorial. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

sartorial

adjective
sar·​to·​ri·​al sär-ˈtōr-ē-əl How to pronounce sartorial (audio)
-ˈtȯr-
: of or relating to a tailor or tailored clothes
sartorially adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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