black tie

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noun

a black bow tie, worn with a dinner jacket.

semiformal evening wear for men (distinguished from white tie).

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Origin of black tie

First recorded in 1855–60

Words nearby black tie

black-tailed deer, black tar heroin, black taxi, black tea, blackthorn, black tie, blacktip shark, blacktongue, blacktop, Blacktown, black tracker

Other definitions for black tie (2 of 2)

black-tie

[ blak-tahy ]

/ ˈblækˈtaɪ /

adjective

requiring that guests wear semiformal attire, especially that men wear black bow ties with tuxedos or dinner jackets: a black-tie dance.

Compare white-tie.

Origin of black-tie

First recorded in 1930–35

How to use black tie in a sentence

The world that Black Dynamite lives in is not the most PC place to be in.
‘Black Dynamite’ Presents Police Brutality: The Musical|Stereo Williams|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Music is a huge part of the tone of Black Dynamite overall—going back to the original 2009 movie on which the series is based.
‘Black Dynamite’ Presents Police Brutality: The Musical|Stereo Williams|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
How far has Congress really evolved on race when in 50 years it has gone from one black senator to two?
The Unbearable Whiteness of Congress|Dean Obeidallah|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Even the arguably more democratic House is only at 10 percent black members.
The Unbearable Whiteness of Congress|Dean Obeidallah|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST

But in the case of black women, another study found no lack of interest.
The Unbearable Whiteness of Congress|Dean Obeidallah|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Suddenly, however, he became aware of a small black spot far ahead in the very middle of the unencumbered track.
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
The lady in black was reading her morning devotions on the porch of a neighboring bathhouse.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
The lady in black, creeping behind them, looked a trifle paler and more jaded than usual.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
A little black girl sat on the floor, and with her hands worked the treadle of the machine.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
Under the long lashes of low lids a pair of eyes black and insolent set off the haughty lines of her scarlet lips.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini

British Dictionary definitions for black tie

black tie

noun

a black bow tie worn with a dinner jacket

(modifier) denoting an occasion when a dinner jacket should be worn

Compare white tie

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

black tie

Origin of black tie

Words nearby black tie

Other definitions for black tie (2 of 2)

Origin of black-tie

Words related to black tie

How to use black tie in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for black tie