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• full dress
  full dress

  noun

  the formal attire customarily worn in the evening, usually consisting of black tailcoats and white bow ties for men, and floor-length dresses for women.
• full-dress
  full-dress

  adjective

  formal and complete in all details.

full dress

¹ American  

noun

1. the formal attire customarily worn in the evening, usually consisting of black tailcoats and white bow ties for men, and floor-length dresses for women.

2. a ceremonial style of dress.

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full-dress ² American  

[fool-dres] / ˈfʊlˌdrɛs /

adjective

1. formal and complete in all details.

   a full-dress uniform.

2. done or presented completely or thoroughly.

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full dress British  

noun

1. 1. a formal or ceremonial style of dress, such as white tie and tails for a man and a full-length evening dress for a woman

   2. ( as modifier )

      full-dress uniform

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Etymology

Origin of full dress¹

First recorded in 1755–65

Origin of full-dress²

First recorded in 1755–65

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

full dress full-dress

I had a full dress with a Cinderella icon on it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 29, 2026

Members of the UK's armed forces have paraded through the streets of central London during the night in a full dress rehearsal for the King's coronation.

From BBC ● May 3, 2023

She met her future husband while appearing with him in operas in which she had only seen him in full dress in elderly roles.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 22, 2023

But to see him in full dress and going full go was impressive.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 11, 2021

The aviators were resplendent in full dress as they drank cocktails in the anteroom before the call to dinner.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

The second was a dazzling full-dress demo normally provided only to potential corporate customers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 24, 2026

“Any full-dress ruling would likely not come until the next term.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2025

The 18 paintings here are so rich and demanding, so challenging yet absorbing, that the prospect of a full-dress Guston retrospective can seem almost daunting.

From New York Times ● Sep. 9, 2021

There are several impressive, full-dress biographies of Hitchcock, but Edward White’s thoughtful and nuanced book takes a different approach.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 22, 2021

“General Peckem even recommends that we send our men into combat in full-dress uniform so they’ll make a good impression on the enemy when they’re shot down.”

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

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