What does tuxedo mean?
A tuxedo is a formal evening jacket, usually black and often made with satin lapels, traditionally worn with a bow tie and formal trousers. The word is especially common in North American English, while British speakers more often say dinner jacket. Beyond the garment itself, tuxedo may refer to the complete black-tie outfit, including the shirt, bow tie, and sometimes a waistcoat. Its association with weddings, galas, award ceremonies, and formal dinners makes it a standard symbol of polished evening dress. The name is unusual for a style of clothing: it comes from Tuxedo Park, a fashionable resort near New York City associated with a distinctive cutaway coat. Once primarily a formal men's style, the tuxedo has broadened in contemporary use as sleeveless versions and less conventional cuts have become popular. Even so, putting on a tuxedo still immediately suggests an occasion that calls for formal elegance.
nounA formal evening jacket, usually black and traditionally worn with a bow tie and formal trousers. By extension, it may refer to the complete matching formal suit.
- A formal dinner jacket, usually black and traditionally worn with a bow tie and formal trousers; by extension, the complete black-tie suit.
"He wore a sharp black tuxedo to the wedding reception."
"He hired a tuxedo for the formal charity gala."
"The host received the guests in a tuxedo and a crisp white shirt."
Tuxedos is the standard plural; tuxedoes is also accepted.
"The shop rents tuxedos for weddings and formal receptions."
A tuxedo takes its name from Tuxedo Park, a fashionable New York resort where a distinctive cutaway coat helped inspire the style.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does tuxedo come from?
The English word tuxedo entered use in the late nineteenth century and was named after Tuxedo Park, a fashionable resort near New York City. The resort's association with a distinctive cutaway dinner coat helped give the style its name. Over time, the word became the general term for a formal dinner jacket and, by extension, the matching black-tie suit.
How tuxedo is actually used
The word is especially common in North American English; British speakers more often use “dinner jacket.” “Tux” is a familiar informal abbreviation. “Black tie” can denote either the traditional bow tie itself or the broader formal dress convention.