dress shirt

American  

noun

1. a man's shirt worn for formal or semiformal evening dress, usually having French cuffs and a stiff or pleated front to be fastened with studs.

2. a man's shirt, buttoning down the front and typically having long sleeves with barrel or French cuffs, and a soft or starched collar, worn with a necktie.

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dress shirt British  

noun

1. a man's shirt, usually white, worn as part of formal evening dress, usually having a stiffened or decorative front

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Etymology

Origin of dress shirt

First recorded in 1890–95

Compare meaning

How does dress-shirt compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• sport shirt vs. dress shirt

Example Sentences

Almost immediately after his arrival, IBM lifers began wearing colorful dress shirts—and watching their backs.

From The Wall Street Journal

His white dress shirt screams for dear life as it struggles to maintain its integrity around his massive form.

From Literature

Texas Rep. Nate Schatzline’s energy was palpable as he gazed out from the video on the computer screen, grinning ear to ear, the sleeves of his white dress shirt rolled up.

From Salon

“We’d literally scramble with a shower, put on our business casual with our dress shirts on, belt, tie, dress shoes,” Mendoza said.

From The Wall Street Journal

As a young lad growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area town of Pittsburg, my school uniform consisted of corduroys the color of Ash Wednesday, a white dress shirt and a maroon V-neck sweater.

From Los Angeles Times