black-tie

1 of 2

adjective

variants or less commonly black tie
: characterized by or requiring the wearing of semiformal evening clothes consisting of a usually black tie and tuxedo for men and a formal dress for women
a black-tie dinner
compare white-tie

black tie

2 of 2

noun

: semiformal clothing
gentlemen in black tie for the banquet

Examples of black-tie in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
The concert will be followed by a black-tie optional dinner and dance at the Mandarin Oriental New York. Paul Grein, Billboard, 19 Nov. 2024 The teaser clip begins with the former ambassador, alive and well, escorting Kate to a black-tie affair. Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
In 1989 at Harvard with roommates Dave Perez (black tie), Scott Stossel (striped tie), and Saumya Das (yellow tie). Simon Van Zuylen-Wood, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024 At the start of their performance, Halsey — who sported a white collared shirt with a black tie, oversized denim shorts and black lace-up boots — entered on a bike and joined a band in a faux garage to sing the pop-punk anthem. Ilana Kaplan, Peoplemag, 12 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for black-tie 

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1933, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1951, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of black-tie was in 1933

Dictionary Entries Near black-tie

Cite this Entry

“Black-tie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/black-tie. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on black-tie

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!