business casual

American

[biz-nis kazh-oo-uhl] / ˈbɪz nɪs ˌkæʒ u əl /

Also office casual

noun

a style of clothing for the office that is casual but neat and professional-looking.

business casual British

noun

informal a style of casual clothing worn by businesspeople at work instead of more formal attire

"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

Etymology

Origin of business casual

First recorded in 1965–70

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.

In 2005, an NBA dress code asked players to dress "business casual" while representing the sport - an attempt to banish streetwear from the league.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026

Still, James insisted that headquarters employees dress a cut above business casual, requiring jackets and slacks for men.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 11, 2025

Clad in a neutral-toned pinstripe collared shirt, he, along with his four bandmates, could be young executives at a business casual lunch.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 5, 2025

Remember when we were all doing business casual at 3 a.m.?

From Slate • Mar. 18, 2025

Seeing Dimple’s face now, taking in his business casual attire, he was kind of glad.

From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023