attire

1 of 2

verb

at·​tire ə-ˈtī(-ə)r How to pronounce attire (audio)
attired; attiring

transitive verb

: to put garments on : dress, array
… proceeded to attire herself for a professional visit.Charles Dickens
The guests were formally attired. [=wearing formal clothing]
especially : to clothe in fancy or rich garments
dancers attired in colorful costumes

attire

2 of 2

noun

1
: dress, clothes
business attire
especially : splendid or decorative clothing
the queen in her royal attire
2
: the antlers or antlers and scalp of a stag or buck

Examples of attire in a Sentence

Verb men attired in tuxedos for the awards banquet Noun Proper attire is required at the restaurant. needed some snazzy attire for the job interview
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Outside the entryway, an honor guard formed, each member attired in white gloves. Bill Laytner, Detroit Free Press, 28 June 2024 Folks attired in sneakers, T-shirts, and baseball caps take aim at a choice of seven dartboards. Will Daniel, Fortune, 26 June 2024
Noun
Anyone dressed in patriotic attire gets $10 bottomless mimosas, sangrias and bellinis with the purchase of an entree. Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 4 July 2024 Blend traditional culture pieces with modern attire. Ebony Flake, Essence, 3 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for attire 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'attire.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French atirer to equip, prepare, attire, from a- (from Latin ad-) + tire order, rank, of Germanic origin; akin to Old English tīr glory, ornament

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of attire was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near attire

Cite this Entry

“Attire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attire. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

attire

1 of 2 verb
at·​tire ə-ˈtī(ə)r How to pronounce attire (audio)
attired; attiring
: to put clothes and especially special or fine clothes on

attire

2 of 2 noun
: clothing sense 1
especially : fine clothes

More from Merriam-Webster on attire

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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