tailcoat

American

[teyl-koht] / ˈteɪlˌkoʊt /

Or tail coat

noun

a fitted coat, typically worn by a man, cut away over the hips and descending in a pair of tapering skirts behind, usually black and worn as part of full evening dress.

Etymology

Origin of tailcoat

First recorded in 1840–50

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.

Based on this photo, we can assume that young Willy appreciated a velvet tailcoat, and wasn’t afraid to mix prints.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 13, 2023

“They are not walking around in denim,” said his mother, Maie Folkerts, as she photographed her son in a tailcoat.

From New York Times • Jul. 6, 2023

As he turned to the Hollies, he might as well have been wearing a tailcoat and holding a baton.

From BBC • Jun. 19, 2023

At the time, members of the diplomatic corps — practically all men — were expected to own a cutaway tailcoat and striped trousers for formal receptions.

From Washington Post • Aug. 26, 2021

He blinked his long lashes, regarding her masked face, then looked down at his own tailcoat.

From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld

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