button-down

American  

[buht-n-doun] / ˈbʌt nˌdaʊn /

adjective

1. (of a shirt collar) having buttonholes so it can be buttoned to the body of the shirt.

2. (of a shirt) having a button-down collar.

3. (of a shirt) having buttons down the front from the collar to the bottom.

4. Also buttoned-down (especially of attitudes, opinions, etc.) extremely conventional; unimaginative.

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button-down British  

adjective

1. (of a collar) having points that are fastened to the garment with buttons

2. (of a shirt) having a button-down collar

3. Also: buttoned-down.  conventional or conservative

   a button-down corporate culture

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Etymology

Origin of button-down

An Americanism dating back to 1930–35

Example Sentences

She’s wearing a white button-down shirt and a pair of blue jeans, and her long hair is down around her shoulders.

From Literature

Coal moved the tissue paper aside and found a button-down shirt that was made out of a nondescript grayish fabric.

From Literature

Unlike his bandmates in the Dead, Weir had a long-running interest in personal style, and frequently opted for tucked-in button-down shirts, western wear and polo shirts instead of tie-dye and ponchos.

From Los Angeles Times

Wearing a grey suit and button-down shirt most days, Mr Mangione frequently took notes on a legal pad, and occasionally smiled and laughed with his lawyers.

From BBC

“Guh. I heard him going on about how expensive his new shirt was yesterday, by my locker. His new salmon-colored button-down. He must have called it his ‘salmon-colored button-down’ about ten times in a minute.

From Literature