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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
The president and vice president were professionally attired in suits and ties befitting the stateliness of the Oval Office while Zelenskyy opted for a casual outfit resembling a tracksuit. Evan Nierman, Baltimore Sun, 13 Mar. 2025 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
Noun
The Kardashians star was dressed in comfy casual attire, sporting a navy blue sweater and a pair of light gray joggers. Kirsty Hatcher, People.com, 1 May 2025 When: 3-6:30 p.m. Cost: $65 for non-members, $50 for members, $75 day of event Dress in your finest derby attire and head to Derby Days 2k25, hosted by Young Affiliates of The Mint. Denise Casalez, Charlotte Observer, 29 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for attire

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Attire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attire. Accessed 5 May. 2025.

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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