cravat

American  

[kruh-vat] / krəˈvæt /

noun

1. necktie.

2. a cloth, often made of or trimmed with lace, worn about the neck by men especially in the 17th century.

3. Medicine/Medical. a bandage made by folding a triangular piece of material into a band, used temporarily for a fracture or wound.

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cravat British  

/ krəˈvæt /

noun

1. a scarf of silk or fine wool, worn round the neck, esp by men

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Etymology

Origin of cravat

1650–60; < French cravate neckcloth, literally, Croat (< German Krabate < Serbo-Croatian hr̀vāt ); so called because worn by Croatian mercenaries in the French army

Explanation

A cravat is an old-fashioned, scarf-like necktie. If you come across some 18th-century portraits of wealthy men, you'll definitely see a few cravats. You can think of the cravat as the ancestor of the tie that's often worn with a formal suit today. A cravat is basically a short scarf worn around the neck and tucked into the collar of a shirt. The word cravat comes from the French Cravate, "Croat" or "Croatian." And it was Croatian soldiers who first started the cravat craze in France during the 1630s. Croatia still observes a national Cravat Day every year on October 18th.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cravat

“How beautiful she is in her shining raiment,” he rhapsodizes, “her birch-bark body, her sable bodice, her white cravat, her goffered ruff.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 23, 2026

And, of course, there is Lisa, who spends the first episode doing a posh take on Diane Keaton’s “Annie Hall” wardrobe, complete with a lavender cravat.

From Salon ● Dec. 2, 2025

Other affectations such as Booth’s cravat pin, pinkie ring and monogrammed leather boots add to his carefully curated image.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2024

Grant’s commitment to his dastardly rogue barely goes beyond his cravat — he’d rather guffaw than feign gravitas.

From New York Times ● Mar. 30, 2023

She buttoned the waistcoat snugly over the shirt and sat down to lace on her boots, then pulled her hair back and tucked it beneath the high collar before tying the cravat around her neck.

From "Ash" by Malinda Lo