WHITE TIE

Pronunciation (US):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does white tie mean? 

• WHITE TIE (noun)
  The noun WHITE TIE has 2 senses:

1. bow tie worn as part of a man's formal evening dress

2. formalwear consisting of full evening dress for men

  Familiarity information: WHITE TIE used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WHITE TIE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Bow tie worn as part of a man's formal evening dress

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("white tie" is a kind of...):

bow-tie; bow tie; bowtie (a man's tie that ties in a bow)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Formalwear consisting of full evening dress for men

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

dress suit; full dress; tail coat; tailcoat; tails; white tie; white tie and tails

Hypernyms ("white tie" is a kind of...):

evening clothes; evening dress; eveningwear; formalwear (attire to wear on formal occasions in the evening)

Meronyms (parts of "white tie"):

morning coat; swallow-tailed coat; swallowtail (a man's full-dress jacket with two long tapering tails at the back)

 Context examples 

His broad black hat, his baggy trousers, his white tie, his sympathetic smile, and general look of peering and benevolent curiosity were such as Mr. John Hare alone could have equalled.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Professor Murray made several profound remarks to his white tie and to the water-carafe upon the table, with a humorous, twinkling aside to the silver candlestick upon his right.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)