Meaning & use
pinstripe
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Meanings
nouncountable
A very thin, light-colored line that runs in a pattern, especially on cloth.
Grammar: Countable; use 'a pinstripe' or 'pinstripes' for multiple lines.
The shirt had faint blue pinstripes running down the front.
She chose a fabric with silver pinstripes for the curtains.
noununcountable
Cloth, especially wool, woven with such thin lines, often used for business suits.
Grammar: Uncountable when referring to the material; say 'a pinstripe suit' for the garment.
Patterns
- a pinstripe suit
- in pinstripe
He wore a dark pinstripe suit to the interview.
The tailor recommended pinstripe for a formal look.
Word forms
| plural | pinstripes |
|---|
Common combinations
- pinstripe suit
- He looked sharp in his pinstripe suit.
- pinstripe pattern
- The wallpaper had a subtle pinstripe pattern.
- pinstripe fabric
- She bought pinstripe fabric to make a skirt.
- narrow pinstripe
- The tie featured a narrow pinstripe in red and white.
Synonyms and how they differ
- stripe
- A general word for any line or band; pinstripe is specifically very thin and often used for formal clothing.
- pin check
- A pattern of very small checks, not lines; pinstripe refers only to lines.
Word family
- pinstriped adjective
- Having a pattern of thin lines, as in 'a pinstriped shirt'.
Commonly confused: pinstripe or pin stripe?
pinstripe vs pin stripe
Sometimes written as two words, but the standard spelling is one word: pinstripe.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'pinstripe' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Pinstripe is a noun or adjective for thin lines on fabric; 'a pinstripe suit' is correct. Option A has a plural verb with a singular subject; option C uses 'pinstripe' as a verb, which it is not; option D confuses it with 'pin drop' or sound.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pinstripe”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.