ENGLISH
REFERENCE

buttonhole

n.
US //ˈbətənˌhoʊɫ// UK //bˈʌtənhˌəʊl// but·ton·hole Archaic Informal
Synonyms
Origin

Originally buttonhold (“a loop of string to hold a button down”), but changed by folk etymology by influence of hole, By surface analysis, button + hole.

© 2026 English Reference