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
The travel document comes with a set of guidelines on various aspects of the shot, from the background to attire and even the expression on a person’s face. Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2024 According to its founder, Gary Eastman, the business attired nearly every other character in the series, producing the brown B-3 jackets worn by Austin Butler, Barry Keoghan, and others, as well as the Type A-2 horsehide and Type B-10 cotton jackets that also feature throughout the series. Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 21 Feb. 2024 Women were attired in an array of lovely, often sparkly, dresses or nice pants suits while almost every man had on a suit and tie, except for those wearing tuxedoes and at least one Scottish gentleman rocking a full dress kilt. Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2024 Pro-war culture crusaders excoriated celebrities for engaging in erotic high jinks in scanty attire at a trendy Moscow club while Russian troops died on the front. Paul Sonne, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2024 On one side are regally attired mullahs, the type that have protected Persia’s pre-Islamic treasures and even tweet in English. Ray Takeyh, Foreign Affairs, 15 Nov. 2015 The spry 89-year-old is otherwise sharply attired, from her neat trouser suit to the amber beads around her neck. Danielle Demetriou, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Nov. 2023 Sitting outside at West Hollywood’s famed Sunset Marquis hotel and nattily attired in a vibrant black and green suit, the world’s most famous drummer looks decades younger than his 83 years. Melinda Newman, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2023 The troops are attired more Silicon Valley than Wall Street in jeans or slacks (nary a suit, tie or cufflink in sight). Shawn Tully, Fortune, 22 Sep. 2023
Noun
The clip has nearly 10 million views, in part because of the interviewee’s duranguense attire and unexpected song choice. Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 20 Mar. 2024 Our next topic: These days, being a bridesmaid or groomsman in a wedding can get very expensive, especially if the ceremony and the prenuptial festivities are out of town, adding even more costs on top of the bridal party attire and other expenses. USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2024 Meanwhile, some of the zingers that teachers shared in the comments section also focused on teacher attire. Brian Anthony Hernandez, Peoplemag, 16 Mar. 2024 Men's Beer Me T-Shirt $14.99 This Men's Beer Me T-Shirt is the perfect attire for a St. Patrick's Day parade. Nora Colomer, Fox News, 13 Mar. 2024 Some of them use the opportunity to run through their wardrobe choices as well, including Kate McKinnon and America Ferrera, who had on strappy heels that were far fancier than the rest of their casual attire. Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2024 In the decades since, bright maxi dresses, floral blouses, and skirts with punchy prints have defined Farm Rio as the ultimate vacation attire. Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Mar. 2024 The quarter-zip sweater has become a trademark fashion accessory for the Manning brothers, who have leaned into their frequent use of the attire. Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2024 So where exactly is a child wearing this hourglass-figure-inducing attire for not even adolescents? Melissa Willets, Parents, 6 Mar. 2024

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 28 Mar. 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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