What does stiffener mean?
A stiffener is something that makes a material or structure firmer and less likely to bend, deform, or collapse. Its most familiar use is in clothing: shirt collars, cuffs, and other garments may contain stiffeners made from plastic, cardboard, starched fabric, or similar materials. The word can also refer more generally to a person or thing that causes rigidity or provides support. In informal British and American English, a stiffener may be a strong drink of alcohol, especially spirits, taken when someone wants to feel more alert, confident, or energetic. The word therefore links the idea of physical rigidity with the older expression of “stiffening” oneself through alcohol. It is especially useful when discussing tailoring, garment construction, informal drinking, or the metaphorical language of courage and preparation.
nounA stiffener is a device, piece of material, or substance used to make something rigid or resist deformation, especially a support sewn into a garment. The term can also refer to a person or thing that stiffens, and informally to a strong alcoholic drink taken to give energy or courage.
- A piece of material, device, or substance used to make something rigid or support its shape.
- A person or thing that stiffens or makes another thing rigid.
- Informally, a strong alcoholic drink intended to make one feel more energetic or confident.
"She added a stiffener to the collar so it would keep its shape."
"The jacket has a stiffener in the front panels to help them hold their shape."
"After the long climb, he drank a quick stiffener and carried on."
The plural is used for individual reinforcing devices or materials, as well as for multiple drinks of the informal alcoholic sense.
"The shirts have removable collar stiffeners."
From reinforcing a collar to reviving someone with a strong drink, ‘stiffener’ can mean either a structural aid or a quick burst of liquid courage.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does stiffener come from?
The word is formed by adding the suffix “-er” to “stiff,” with the connecting “-en-” appearing in the related verb “stiffen.” “Stiff” derives through Middle English from Old English stiff, meaning rigid or difficult to bend. The related forms “stiffly” and “stiffness” continue the same native Germanic root, while the later development of “stiffener” reflects its use for a reinforcing material and, more informally, for an alcoholic drink that seems to make one feel stiffer or more energetic.
How stiffener is actually used
The technical sense is common in clothing manufacture, tailoring, and other contexts involving reinforcement. The alcoholic-drink sense is informal and somewhat old-fashioned, often implying a drink of spirits; in that use, it can sound deliberately humorous or bracing.
Easily confused with stiffener
A stiffener is the reinforcing device or substance itself, whereas stiffening is the process of becoming rigid or the material that provides reinforcement.