bow tie

American  

[boh] / boʊ /

noun

• bow ties
  plural

1. a small necktie tied in a bow at the collar.

2. a sweet roll or Danish pastry having a shape similar to that of a bow tie or butterfly.

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bow tie British  

/ bəʊ /

noun

1. a man's tie tied in a bow, now chiefly in plain black for formal evening wear

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• bow ties
  plural

Etymology

Origin of bow tie

First recorded in 1910–15

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bow tie

The only thing missing, really, was my nervous waiter in the bow tie.

From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026

Taylor, our cheery guide, met us wearing a short-sleeved button-down shirt and a bow tie.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

Director Spike Lee, with wife Tonya Lewis Lee, showed his distinctive style with a suit featuring a purple fedora hat and matching bow tie, and a bag made of silver cassettes.

From BBC ● Mar. 15, 2026

And veteran director Spike Lee brought a splash of color to his ensemble of muted neutrals with a bright purple hat and bow tie.

From Barron's ● Mar. 15, 2026

Finally, tired, he began to cry, yanking at his bow tie, and The General picked him up and carried him around.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie