tux
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of tux
First recorded in 1920–25; by shortening
Explanation
A tux is a fancy black suit that you might wear, along with a bow tie, to your senior prom or your wedding. The word tux is a common North American shorthand for tuxedo. If you're invited to an elegant party that's "black tie only," that means you're expected to wear a long, dressy gown or a tux. Tux was first used in the 1920s. Tuxedo, coined in the late 1800s, was named for a fancy country club called Tuxedo Park, which comes from an Algonquian word — possibly p'tuck-sepo, or "crooked river."
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.
“He’s just kind of like, ‘throw me in a tux and let’s go,’ ” Hailey added.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
Looking dapper in a pink tux, the star dedicated his prize to "everyone in this room who believes in the power of black music".
From BBC ● Feb. 2, 2026
He’s getting married, and left his tux fitting to do his job once it was apparent there had been a shooting that involved a lawmaker.
From Slate ● Jun. 17, 2025
As for that yeller tux, well, I can only hope Chalamet has hired someone for the express purpose of keeping any red wine drinkers as far away from him as possible.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 2, 2025
I want to be a girl in a tux playing backup for Janelle.
From "Sparrow" by Sarah Moon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
