attire

1 of 2

verb

at·​tire ə-ˈtī(-ə)r 

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

Synonyms

Verb

• apparel
• array
• bedeck
• caparison
• clothe
• costume
• deck (out)
• do up
• dress
• dress up
• enrobe
• garb
• garment
• get up
• gown
• habit
• invest
• rig (out)
• robe
• suit
• tog (up or out)
• toilet
• vesture

Noun

• apparel
• clobber [British slang]
• clothes
• clothing
• costumery
• dress
• duds
• garments
• gear
• habiliment(s)
• habit [archaic]
• rags
• raiment
• rig
• rigging
• threads
• toggery
• togs
• vestiary
• vestments
• vesture
• wear
• wearables
• weeds

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 White House posted photos of the president dressed in golfing attire the previous evening while watching U.S. forces hit Houthis rebels in Yemen who’ve been targeting Israeli and U.S. vessels in the Red Sea. —Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 17 Mar. 2025

In a portrait that is emblematic of her art, Gottfried photographed a circus entertainer dressed in a top hat and white tie, accompanied by his two canine partners, also formally attired, the large Doberman pinscher in a white tie and a turban, the miniature pinscher with a frilly collar. —Arthur Lubow, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025

Noun

Guests ages 21 or older are invited to wear prom attire and can meet scientists, get involved at the San Diego Archaeological Center, dig up fossils at the Paleo demo lab, dance along to live music and meet various local organizations. —San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Apr. 2025

In early March, the Paris in Love star shared photos of her family of four dressed in black tie attire for the 2025 Oscars. —Hannah Sacks, People.com, 7 Apr. 2025

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

Rhymes for attire

• briar
• brier
• buyer
• choir
• crier
• cryer
• drier
• dryer
• eyer
• flier
• flyer
• friar

Kids Definition

attire

1 of 2 verb

at·​tire ə-ˈtī(ə)r 

attired; attiring

: to put clothes and especially special or fine clothes on

attire

2 of 2 noun

: clothing sense 1

especially : fine clothes