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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.

His proposal called for business casual attire, neat facial hair and closed-toe shoes.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026

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

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

From Slate • Mar. 18, 2025

Same with casual attire — as opposed to business casual attire.

From Salon • Oct. 24, 2024

The Venetian hotel—Palazzo Ducale on the outside, Divine Comedy on the inside—was overrun by thousands of white men in business casual now earning their living, one way or another, off subprime mortgages.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

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