bespoke

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /bəˈspoʊk/ UK /bɪˈspəʊk/ See IPA manual

Freq #42911

Meanings

1

adj
made specially for a particular customer, especially referring to clothing

He ordered a bespoke suit cut to his exact measurements.
2

adj
designed or adapted for the particular needs of a person, organization, or purpose

The laboratory commissioned bespoke software for analyzing its unusual data format.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · made specially for a... custom-mademade-to-measuremade-to-ordertailor-made

2 adj · designed or adapted for the... customcustom-builtpurpose-builttailored

Opposites

ready-madeoff-the-rackmass-producedstandardized

Word family

Derived forms bespokelybespokeness

Related forms bespeakcustomizetailor

Etymology

From bespeak, once meaning "to arrange or order in advance." Bespoken described goods already spoken for or commissioned; by the eighteenth century, bespoke had become an adjective for custom-made clothing. Its use later broadened to anything tailored to a particular customer or purpose.

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# bespoke

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /bəˈspoʊk/
**IPA (UK):** /bɪˈspəʊk/
**Frequency rank:** 42911

## Meanings
1. made specially for a particular customer, especially referring to clothing
2. designed or adapted for the particular needs of a person, organization, or purpose

## Examples
- He ordered a bespoke suit cut to his exact measurements.
- The laboratory commissioned bespoke software for analyzing its unusual data format.

## Synonyms
- custom-made
- made-to-measure
- made-to-order
- tailor-made
- custom-built
- purpose-built
- tailored

## Antonyms
- ready-made
- off-the-rack
- mass-produced
- standardized

## Derived Forms
- bespokely
- bespokeness

## Related Forms
- bespeak
- customize
- tailor

## Etymology
From bespeak, once meaning "to arrange or order in advance." Bespoken described goods already spoken for or commissioned; by the eighteenth century, bespoke had become an adjective for custom-made clothing. Its use later broadened to anything tailored to a particular customer or purpose.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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