sartorial

adjective

sar·​to·​ri·​al sär-ˈtȯr-ē-əl 

sər-,

sə-

: of or relating to a tailor or tailored clothes

broadly : of or relating to clothes

poor sartorial taste

sartorially

sär-ˈtȯr-ē-ə-lē 

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

Like Matthews, Husk’s sartorial expression also influences his protegees, like newfound ally, principled Idaho deputy Jamie Bowen (Tye Sheridan). —Mark Peikert, IndieWire, 7 Dec. 2024

Gomez continued her black sartorial motif with coordinated pointed-toe, sling-back pumps and sheer black tights. —Julia Teti, WWD, 6 Dec. 2024

There is no better book to give you an insider’s feel for what constitutes the sartorial intelligence underpinning Italian men’s fashion. —Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 4 Dec. 2024

To her, this has led to a focus on what’s special to them beyond just shopping from their favorite brands or falling in love with the sartorial choices of designers. —Ugonnaora Owoh, Essence, 25 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin sartor

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

sartorial

adjective

sar·​to·​ri·​al sär-ˈtōr-ē-əl 

-ˈtȯr-

: of or relating to a tailor or tailored clothes

sartorially

-ē-ə-lē 

adverb