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 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
Four years later, when Apple was a Met Gala sponsor, its chief executive, Tim Cook, showed up in tux and tails.
From New York Times • May 3, 2024
To make up for missing his friend’s wedding, the comedian flies to Atlanta in a tux, asks the groom for forgiveness, and delivers a belated best man speech.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2024
The Queen chuckled as a joke was made that the young boy, dressed in a tux, had stolen her thunder, and smiled down at him.
From BBC • Mar. 21, 2024
His tux is wet, my makeup is ruined.
From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas
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.
