taillée

Taillée is the feminine form of the past participle of the French verb tailler, and it functions as an adjective to denote something that has been cut, shaped, or trimmed by human action. In everyday language, it is used to describe objects or surfaces that show evidence of workmanship, such as pierre taillée (worked stone), bois taillé (carved wood), or métal taillé (machined metal). The term can also appear in phrases indicating the result or process of cutting.

In archaeology and lithic technology, taillée refers specifically to artefacts shaped by human knapping or flaking. A pierre taillée is a stone tool produced through deliberate removal of flakes to create edges and points. Descriptions may mention the type of taille (percussion, pressure) or the flaking pattern, as in tailles Levallois or taille bifaciaire, to indicate technique and period.

In sculpture, architecture and ornamental stonework, the phrase pierre taillée or taille de pierre describes stones that have been worked to a desired form, whether for blocks in construction or for decorative elements. The term also covers carved stone details, reliefs, and monuments where precision shaping defines the final aesthetic.

In horticulture, taillée commonly appears in the context of pruning and topiary. An arbre taillé or haie taillée indicates a plant or hedge that has been pruned into a specific shape or size, reflecting intentional maintenance for growth control and form.

See also: tailler, taille, tailleage, taillage.