tailorwise

English

Woman sitting tailorwise

Etymology

From tailor +‎ -wise, referring to the traditional working posture of tailors. Compare tailor-fashion, tailor's bunion, tailor's muscle and tailor-style.

Adverb

tailorwise (not comparable)

1. With the legs crossed in front of one and the ankles on the ground.
   • 1923, Wilbur Pardon Bowen, Applied Anatomy and Kinesiology, page 170:

     While sitting on a chair or bench there is no difficulty in holding the trunk erect, because now the hamstring muscles are not only relaxed but further slackened at the lower end by flexion of the knee; the hips will flex several degrees farther here and also in sitting on the floor if the knees are flexed, tailorwise.

   • 2012, Max Brand, The Garden of Eden, page 101:

     His shoes off, and his bare feet tucked under his legs, he sat tailorwise and peered up at the giant.

   • 2014, Peter De Vries, The Tunnel of Love, page 126:

     Perched tailorwise on the bed, I myself stared like an owl into the gloom.

Synonyms

• criss-cross applesauce
• cross-legged
• Indian style
• pretzel style
• tailor-fashion