1. One whose occupation is to cut out and make men’s garments; also, one who cuts out and makes ladies’ outer garments. Well said, good woman’s tailor . . . I would thou wert a man’s tailor. (Shak)
2. (Science: zoology) The mattowacca; called also tailor herring. The silversides.
3. (Science: zoology) The goldfish. Salt–water tailor, any one of numerous species of small Asiatic and East indian singing birds belonging to Orthotomus, Prinia, and allied genera. They are noted for the skill with which they sew leaves together to form nests. The common Indian species are O. Longicauda, which has the back, scapulars, and upper tail coverts yellowish green, and the under parts white; and the golden-headed tailor bird (O. Coronatus), which has the top of the head golden yellow and the back and wings pale olive-green.
Origin: OF. Tailleor, F. Tailleur, fr. OF. Taillier, F. Tailler to cut, fr. L. Talea a rod, stick, a cutting, layer for planting. Cf. Detail, Entail, Retail, Tally.