Synonyms

fancy dress

American

noun

a costume for a ball, masquerade, etc., chosen to please the fancy, usually a costume characteristic of a particular period or place, class of persons, or historical or fictitious character.

fancy dress British

noun

1. costume worn at masquerades, etc, usually representing a particular role, historical figure, etc
2. ( as modifier )
  
  a fancy-dress ball

"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 fancy dress

First recorded in 1760–70

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.

A masquerade without masks is merely fancy dress with an open bar.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

Helmets are obligatory for those being carried - fancy dress is expected.

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026

Brazilian police have disguised themselves using fancy dress to blend in as Carnival-goers to target phone thieves in Rio de Janeiro.

From BBC • Feb. 14, 2026

The brave swimmers will be donning fancy dress to take a dip in the freezing waters of the Firth of Forth.

From BBC • Dec. 30, 2025

The fancy dress dance last night, and I coming down to the head of the stairs in Rebecca’s dress.

From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

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

fancy dress

noun

noun

Etymology

Origin of fancy dress

Example Sentences

Related Words