long suit

noun

1. Cards.
   1. the suit in which the most cards are held in a hand.
   2. (in bridge) a suit in which four or more cards are held in a hand.
2. the quality, activity, endeavor, etc., in which one excels:

   Diligence is his long suit.

long suit

noun

1. 1. the longest suit in a hand of cards
   2. a holding of four or more cards of a suit
2. informal.
   an outstanding advantage, personal quality, or talent

Word History and Origins

Origin of long suit¹

First recorded in 1875–80

Idioms and Phrases

One's strong point or advantage, as in Organizing has never been Nancy's long suit . This expression alludes to whist, bridge, and other card games in which holding numerous cards in a single suit may convey a strong advantage. [c. 1900]

Example Sentences

Transparency about the building plan is not the museum’s long suit.

From Los Angeles Times

I love trumping an opponent’s high card, I love establishing long suits, and I love putting others on tilt by talking about reduced Medicare benefits.

From Washington Post

Denim in the shape of long suit jackets and dropped-waist dresses with high halter necks, denim in A-line skirts torqued just ever so slightly askew.

From New York Times

Rachel and Adah were assigned any number of hope-chest projects to work on, but the domestic arena was never my long suit, so I was to focus on a single, big project: a cross-stitch tablecloth.

From Literature

Finesse, needless to say, is not a Trump long suit.

From Washington Post