black-tie

¹ American  

[blak-tahy] / ˈblækˈtaɪ /

adjective

1. requiring that guests wear semiformal attire, especially that men wear black bow ties with tuxedos or dinner jackets.

   a black-tie dance.

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black tie ² American  

noun

1. a black bow tie, worn with a dinner jacket.

2. semiformal evening wear for men (white tie ).

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black tie British  

noun

1. a black bow tie worn with a dinner jacket

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

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Etymology

Origin of black-tie¹

First recorded in 1930–35

Origin of black tie¹

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

Think Orient Express but with more Shiraz and less black tie: The Aurora and Australis suites come with queen beds, butler service and free-flowing Champagne.

From The Wall Street Journal

At the six-minute Crown Court hearing on Tuesday, Coote, who wore a navy suit and black tie, spoke only to confirm his name and enter his guilty plea.

From BBC

He wore a lightweight black raincoat and loafers, a dark business suit, a crisp white shirt, a narrow black tie and a pearl stick-pin.

From Los Angeles Times

In another sign of respect for Pope Francis, the King wore a black tie when he met the New Zealand prime minister in Windsor Castle on Tuesday.

From BBC

Held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the Grammy-weekend charity event — dress code: “colorful black tie” — raised more than $5 million for music professionals affected by the wildfires that devastated much of L.A. last month.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• tux
• tuxedo