noun

buttonhole

BUH-tuhn-hohl

noun

A small slit in a garment through which a button is fastened.

"The tailor reinforced each buttonhole by hand."

A flower worn pinned to a lapel for decoration.

"The groom wore a white rose as his buttonhole."

verb

To stop someone and keep them talking, often against their will.

"He buttonholed me in the hallway to complain about the new policy."

"She got buttonholed by a salesman on her way out of the store."

How to Use Buttonhole

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA slit for a button, a lapel flower, or (as a verb) cornering someone to talk at them.

Memory tip

The verb sense ("he buttonholed me") is common in everyday speech and always means an unwanted, trapped conversation.

Trace the full origin ↓

buttonholed past tense, buttonholes plural, buttonholes singular

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Can you complete this real example?

The tailor reinforced each _____ by hand.

Originally "buttonhold" — a loop that held a button in place — later reshaped by folk etymology to end in "hole."

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