attire
Americanverb (used with object)
noun
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clothes or apparel, especially rich or splendid garments.
-
the horns of a deer.
verb
noun
-
clothes or garments, esp if fine or decorative
-
the antlers of a mature male deer
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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attiresimple
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attiressimple
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have attiredperfect
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has attiredperfect
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are attiringprogressive
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am attiringprogressive
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is attiringprogressive
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have been attiringperfect progressive
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has been attiringperfect progressive
Past
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attiredsimple
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had attiredperfect
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was attiringprogressive
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were attiringprogressive
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had been attiringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of attire
1250–1300; (v.) Middle English atiren < Anglo-French atirer, Old French atirier, verbal derivative of a tire into a row or rank ( see a- 3, tier 1); (noun) Middle English atir < Anglo-French, noun derivative of the v.
Explanation
The noun attire is just a formal way to say "outfit." And if you’re going outside in the middle of a blizzard, your attire should include more than a bathing suit and flip-flops. Attire can also refer to the antlers of a deer, but that’s a pretty obscure definition. So let's stick to the more common uses: put it into verb form and it means "to dress or clothe." Which makes sense, since it comes to us from the Old French atirier, meaning “to equip, ready or prepare.” Charles Dickens wrote that “Great men are seldom over-scrupulous in the arrangement of their attire" — meaning the clothes do not make the man.
Vocabulary lists containing attire
100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
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"Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare, Act I
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
His proposal called for business casual attire, neat facial hair and closed-toe shoes.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026
"I have wanted to perform the pilgrimage my entire life, for 40 or 50 years," said Jreish Mohammed, a 68-year-old decked out in the traditional attire from his native Morocco.
From Barron's • May 25, 2026
In 1967, his black evening gown with cape radiated simplicity in form and draping even as it also referenced the attire of Catholic priests.
From Salon • May 17, 2026
What’s the craziest-sounding movie that you can’t wait to don formal attire to see?
From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026
Despite the casual attire, he projects an air of au-thority.
From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
