semiformal

American  

[sem-ee-fawr-muhl, sem-ahy-] / ˌsɛm iˈfɔr məl, ˌsɛm aɪ- /

adjective

1. partly formal; containing some formal elements.

   a semiformal occasion; semiformal attire.

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Etymology

Origin of semiformal

First recorded in 1930–35; semi- + formal ¹

Example Sentences

The dress code was originally billed as semiformal, but, in line with the casual attire of startups, was later revised to “business casual but feel free to dress it up!”

From Los Angeles Times

Close your eyes for a moment and think of a person wearing head-to-toe white in a room full of others clad in semiformal attire.

From Washington Post

White tie, black tie, black tie creative/festive, semiformal: It might take some extra re-entry energy to figure out these pre-pandemic guidelines in an exhausted world more used to sweats and sneakers.

From Seattle Times

The social imperative — Newnam’s semiformal objective in each locale is to get invited to someone’s home for dinner — steers the show into unexpectedly suspenseful territory.

From New York Times

Dear Miss Manners: My brother and I went to a semiformal dinner where spaghetti was the main course.

From Washington Post