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 Kristen Stewart’s recent sartorial choices have included–without fail–a glimpse of an erogenous zone or two, by way of some form of lingerie. Hannah Coates, Vogue, 14 Mar. 2024 Versace sunglasses, $441 (Versace) Luxury Italian brand Versace and former basketball star Dwyane Wade are continuing their sartorial relationship this season with the release of new men’s optical frames and sunglasses. Marques Harper, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Last April, Versace appointed Anne Hathaway as the face of its previous Icons campaign launch, which, very much like the new installment, showcased the brand’s timeless sartorial storytelling. Michelle Lee, Peoplemag, 13 Mar. 2024 But the night was about much more than just sustainable sartorial selections. Lindzi Scharf, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2024 When your fashion narrative will always be viewed in such a specific context, serving up a blistering sartorial ace represents a unique challenge. Luke Leitch, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2024 The actress rose to fame portraying Brienne of Tarth on Game of Thrones, a female knight known for her bravery, loyalty and fighting skills, but in real life, Christie loves getting in touch with her sartorial side. Katie Mannion, Peoplemag, 3 Mar. 2024 The 1920s painter who hid sapphic symbols in her portraits This new, electrifying sartorial landscape brought with it a widespread preoccupation with clothes that not only influenced Sargeants’ artistic eye, but his clients’ desires too. Leah Dolan, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024 The actor had a sartorial victory on the red carpet, too, wearing a sharp Fendi suit with an even sharper stainless steel Jaeger-LeCoultre watch. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 26 Feb. 2024

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 Mar. 2024.

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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