haberdasher
/ˈhæb.ə(ɹ)ˌdæʃ.ə(ɹ)/
haberdasher means A dealer in ribbons, buttons, thread, needles and similar sewing goods. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 85 out of 100.
haberdasher is pronounced /ˈhæb.ə(ɹ)ˌdæʃ.ə(ɹ)/.
Why “haberdasher” is a great word
HABERDASHER — [Noun] A dealer in small articles for sewing, such as ribbons, buttons, and thread, or, in modern usage, a men's outfitter. From Middle English (13th century), likely from Anglo-Norman hapertas or habertas, meaning "small wares" or a type of cloth. Unlike a "clothier," who trades in whole garments, or a "mercer," who deals in sumptuous fabrics, a haberdasher traffics in the meticulous and miniature. It is the cold weight of a silver thimble, the precise geometry of a pearl button in its partitioned tray, and the quiet, lamplit shop where an entire wardrobe can be held in a palm—the quiet commerce of all the minor necessities that hold a larger fabric together.
Etymology
From Middle English, 13th century. Uncertain but may derive from Anglo-Norman habertas (“small goods”).
noun
- A dealer in ribbons, buttons, thread, needles and similar sewing goods.
- A men's outfitter.
- A member of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, a livery company.