'Custom-made' and 'tailor-made' | Britannica Dictionary (2024)

Ask the Editor

Question

'Custom-made' and 'tailor-made'

Answer

Custom-made and tailor-made both mean "made specifically for someone." But there are some differences in usage.

Custom-made refers to almost anything that is made for someone, including clothes but just as often referring to other things:

I like his custom-made shoes.

custom-made kitchen cabinets

He rides a custom-made motorcycle.

==

Tailor-made most often refers to clothing when used to refer to things:

tailor-made suits

==

When referring to situations or ideas, tailor-made is used very broadly:

The role was tailor-made for the young actress.

That job is tailor-made [=perfect] for him.

Our brokers develop tailor-made strategies for managing risk.

Archive

Link to this page:

You can read more articles in the archive.

'Custom-made' and 'tailor-made' | Britannica Dictionary (2024)

FAQs

What is the meaning of tailor-made answers? ›

If something is tailor-made, it has been specially designed for a particular person or purpose. ...

What is the difference between tailor-made and custom made? ›

Custom suits are designed exclusively, and the pattern is cut from scratch to fit the client's body. Tailored suits, on the other hand, are made using existing patterns, which are adjusted to flatter the client's body type.

What does tailor-made solution mean? ›

Tailor-made means made to fit the needs or specifications of a particular situation, object, or person—or seeming as though it was made that way.

What does "custom tailored" mean? ›

custom-tailored; custom-tailoring; custom-tailors. transitive verb. : to alter, plan, or build according to individual specifications or needs.

What is a custom tailor-made solution? ›

Custom-made (tailor-made or ready-to-use) solution is a solution (single or multi-element) prepared according your specific needs and requirements: analytes, analysis, matrixes, concentrations.

What is meant by custom-made? ›

Definitions of custom-made. adjective. made according to the specifications of an individual. synonyms: custom bespoke, bespoken, made-to-order, tailor-made, tailored.

What's another word for custom-made? ›

What is another word for custom-made?
bespokecustomisedUK
commissionedtailor-made
made-to-ordercustom-tailored
custom-builtspecially made
special-ordermade-to-measure
18 more rows

What does custom-made stand for? ›

Custom products are unique items created individually by a craftsman, artisan, or tailor. Each custom product is designed to meet the client's size, color, dimension, outlook, etc. These one-of-a-kind items bring the client's idea to life, and their production involves client input at each step.

What is the difference between custom-made and customized? ›

Here is how I understand it as a non-native English speaker: "custom" refers to the nature of an object which is made or done for a particular group of customers; "customized", however, is not as broad and only means something being modified or changed according to the customer's needs.

What is a synonym for tailor-made solution? ›

customized. custom. made-to-order. bespoke. custom-tailored.

What's another phrase for tailor-made? ›

What is another word for tailor-made?
bespokecustomisedUK
handmadecustom-made
made-to-ordercustom-tailored
custom-builtmade-to-measure
custom-fitcut to fit
18 more rows

What does it mean when someone says it's tailor-made for you? ›

specially made for a particular purpose: a tailor-made course. be tailor-made for something. to have all the right skills and abilities for a particular task: It sounds as though you're tailor-made for the job.

What does tailored made mean? ›

If something is tailor-made, it has been specially designed for a particular person or purpose. Each client's portfolio is tailor-made.

What is a custom tailor called? ›

Bespoke tailoring /biˈspoʊk/ or custom tailoring is clothing made to an individual buyer's specifications by a tailor. Bespoke garments are completely unique and created without the use of a pre-existing pattern, while made to measure uses a standard-sized pattern altered to fit the customer.

What is the difference between made to order and custom-made? ›

Made-to-order products: The product is created according to a standardized production method or a limited range of options are provided within existing specifications (e.g., dimensions, color, etc.). Customized products: The product is created specifically for the customer according to their requirements.

What is the meaning of tailor making? ›

Tailor-make means to make to fit the needs or specifications of a particular situation, object, or person. It means to make something in the way that a tailor would make a piece of clothing for someone by fitting it to their exact measurements and needs.

What is an example of a tailor-made? ›

Examples from Collins dictionaries

Each client's portfolio is tailor-made. He was tailor-made, it was said, for the task ahead. These questions were tailor-made for Professor Posner. He was wearing a tweed suit that looked tailor-made.

What does a tailor do answer? ›

A tailor specializes in creating, altering, and repairing garments. They work with a wide range of fabrics and materials, including silk, wool, cotton, and leather, and are skilled at using various tools and techniques to create custom-fitted clothing.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Tish Haag

Last Updated:

Views: 6294

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (47 voted)

Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Tish Haag

Birthday: 1999-11-18

Address: 30256 Tara Expressway, Kutchburgh, VT 92892-0078

Phone: +4215847628708

Job: Internal Consulting Engineer

Hobby: Roller skating, Roller skating, Kayaking, Flying, Graffiti, Ghost hunting, scrapbook

Introduction: My name is Tish Haag, I am a excited, delightful, curious, beautiful, agreeable, enchanting, fancy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.