taille

[ teyl; French tah-yuh ]
/ teɪl; French ˈtɑ yə /

noun, plural tailles [teylz; French tah-yuh] /teɪlz; French ˈtɑ yə/.

French History. a tax that was levied by a king or seigneur on his subjects or on lands held under him and that became solely a royal tax in the 15th century from which the lords and later the clergy were exempt.
(in dressmaking) the waist or bodice of a garment.
Obsolete. the shape of one's body from shoulders to waist; figure; build.

Origin of taille

1545–55; < French: literally, a cutting; see tail2

Words nearby taille

tailfirst, tailgate, tailgater, tailing, tailings, taille, tailleferre, tailleur, taillight, tailor, tailor's bunion

Example sentences from the Web for taille

British Dictionary definitions for taille

taille
/ (taɪ, French tɑj) /

noun plural tailles (taɪ, taɪz, French tɑj)

(in France before 1789) a tax levied by a king or overlord on his subjects

Word Origin for taille

C17: from French, from Old French taillier to shape; see tailor