attire
Other forms: attired; attiring; attires
The noun attire is just a formal way to say "outfit." And if you’re going outside in the middle of a blizzard, your attire should include more than a bathing suit and flip-flops.
Attire can also refer to the antlers of a deer, but that’s a pretty obscure definition. So let's stick to the more common uses: put it into verb form and it means "to dress or clothe." Which makes sense, since it comes to us from the Old French atirier, meaning “to equip, ready or prepare.” Charles Dickens wrote that “Great men are seldom over-scrupulous in the arrangement of their attire" — meaning the clothes do not make the man.
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clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion“formal attire”
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types:
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ao dai
the traditional dress of Vietnamese women consisting of a tunic with long sleeves and panels front and back; the tunic is worn over trousers
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costume
the attire worn in a play or at a fancy dress ball
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costume
the attire characteristic of a country or a time or a social class
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costume
unusual or period attire not characteristic of or appropriate to the time and place
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costume
the prevalent fashion of dress (including accessories and hair style as well as garments)
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disguise
any attire that modifies the appearance in order to conceal the wearer's identity
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ecclesiastical attire, ecclesiastical robe
attire that is appropriate to wear in a church
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finery
elaborate or showy attire and accessories
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evening clothes, evening dress, eveningwear, formalwear
attire to wear on formal occasions in the evening
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habit
a distinctive attire worn by a member of a religious order
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habit, riding habit
attire that is typically worn by a horseback rider (especially a woman's attire)
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false hair, hairpiece, postiche
a covering or bunch of human or artificial hair used for disguise or adornment
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morning dress
formal attire for men during the daytime
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getup, outfit, rig, turnout
a set of clothing (with accessories)
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activewear, athletic wear, sportswear
attire worn for sport or for casual wear
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academic costume
a costume worn on formal occasions by the faculty or students of a university or college
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Afro-wig
a wig that gives the appearance of an Afro hairdo
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balldress
a suit or dress for formal occasions
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bib-and-tucker
an attractive outfit
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dinner dress, dinner gown, evening gown, formal
a gown for evening wear
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black tie, dinner jacket, tux, tuxedo
semiformal evening dress for men
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dress suit, full dress, tail coat, tailcoat, tails, white tie, white tie and tails
formalwear consisting of full evening dress for men
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ensemble
a coordinated outfit (set of clothing)
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fancy dress, masquerade, masquerade costume
a costume worn as a disguise at a masquerade party
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frock
a habit worn by clerics
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gym suit
clothes prescribed for wear while participating in gymnastic exercise
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mask
a covering to disguise or conceal the face
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monastic habit
a long loose habit worn by monks in a monastery
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nun's habit
a long loose habit worn by nuns in a convent
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playsuit
a sports outfit for women or children; usually consists of shorts and a blouse
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rigout
a person's costume (especially if bizarre)
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running suit
a matching jacket and pants worn by joggers and made of fabric that absorbs perspiration
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Sunday best, Sunday clothes
the best attire you have which is worn to church on Sunday
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switch
hairpiece consisting of a tress of false hair; used by women to give shape to a coiffure
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toupe, toupee
a small hairpiece to cover partial baldness
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trousseau
the personal outfit of a bride; clothes and accessories and linens
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wig
hairpiece covering the head and made of real or synthetic hair
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type of:
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article of clothing, clothing, habiliment, vesture, wear, wearable
a covering designed to be worn on a person's body
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put on special clothes to appear particularly appealing and attractive
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synonyms:
deck out, deck up, dress up, fancy up, fig out, fig up, get up, gussy up, overdress, prink, rig out, tog out, tog up, trick out, trick up
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Antonyms:
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dress down, underdress
dress informally and casually
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types:
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dress, plume, preen, primp
dress or groom with elaborate care
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prank
dress up showily
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tart up
dress up in a cheap and provocative way
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enrobe
adorn with a robe
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bedizen, dizen
dress up garishly and tastelessly
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type of:
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dress, get dressed
put on clothes
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dress down, underdress
/əˈtaɪər/
/əˈtaɪə/
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Vocabulary lists containing attire
Eighth-grader Molly is fed up with her school's unfair dress code policy, so she starts a podcast to protest it, sparking a rebellion.
This semi-autobiographical novel recounts the story of a Japanese family attempting to flee Korea and return home at the end of World War II.
Middle schoolers Ally, Bree, and Jack strike up an unexpected friendship when they meet at a remote campground to watch a solar eclipse.
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