business casual

[ biz-nis kazh-oo-uhl ]

/ ˈbɪz nɪs ˌkæʒ u əl /

Save This Word!

noun

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

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Also of·fice cas·u·al

[awf-is kash-oo-uhl, of-is] /ˈɔf ɪs ˌkæʃ u əl, ˈɒf ɪs/ .

Origin of business casual

First recorded in 1965–70

Words nearby business casual

business angel, business as usual, Business before pleasure, business card, business case, business casual, business class, business college, business cycle, business double, business education

How to use business casual in a sentence

A few of the applicants came dressed in three-piece suits or smart business casual, and some wore working togs with their fledgling companies’ logos on them, while others made their pitches in T-shirts and jeans.
From prison to pitch: Ex-offenders compete for city grants to launch their companies|Fredrick Kunkle|August 25, 2021|Washington Post
I was a little mystified at how benignly he responded to my questions about his business activities.
I Tried to Warn You About Sleazy Billionaire Jeffrey Epstein in 2003|Vicky Ward|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
This reporter knocked at the Wilkins home on Tuesday morning but received neither an answer nor the business end of a shotgun.
The 7-Year-Old Plane Crash Survivor’s Brutal Journey Through the Woods|James Higdon|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“Competition is there, of course, but I think there is enough business for everyone as long as the demand is there,” he says.
Ghost Ships of the Mediterranean|Barbie Latza Nadeau|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST

Last March they gave Airbus a huge piece of new business, ordering 169 A320s and 65 of the slightly larger A321.
Annoying Airport Delays Might Prevent You From Becoming the Next AirAsia 8501|Clive Irving|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Together, they crossed over the International Bridges on foot into Juarez to conduct some business.
An Informant, a Missing American, and Juarez’s House of Death: Inside the 12-Year Cold Case of David Castro|Bill Conroy|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He remembered something—the cherished pose of being a man plunged fathoms-deep in business.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
A letter from Fajardo to the king (December 10, 1621) concerns various matters of administration and business.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
The father of Mr. Stacy Marks predestined him for the coach-building business.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 107, November 3, 1894|Various
That, and a range war that grew out of the killing, and some kind of a business deal just about broke them.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
But he could not bear the reflection, and with fevered impatience, he hurried through the business of the morning.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter

British Dictionary definitions for business casual

business casual

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