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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The decision sparked commentary, but there were several reasons for the sartorial choice. Meredith Kile, People.com, 4 July 2025 On July 2, Bieber and Morrone hit up every celebrity's favorite LA sushi spot in WeHo looking like the sartorial embodiment of black cat/golden retriever energy. Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 3 July 2025 However, some sartorial choices carried a weightier message, particularly against the backdrop of current global events. Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 The result is a 10-piece collection featuring six women’s items made from cotton-hemp and four men’s items made from wool and cotton, all inspired by sartorial craftsmanship and washed with a unique washing process created by Soko. Andrea Onate, Footwear News, 1 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for sartorial

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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Cite this Entry

“Sartorial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sartorial. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

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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