tuxedo

noun

tux·​e·​do ˌtək-ˈsē-(ˌ)dō 

plural tuxedos or tuxedoes

1

: a semiformal evening suit for men

2

: a men's single-breasted or double-breasted usually black or blackish-blue jacket

tuxedoed

ˌtək-ˈsē-(ˌ)dōd 

adjective

Examples of tuxedo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Cultural representations of cats from Egypt, Kenya, Peru, China and Japan make way for modern items such as a LEGO tuxedo cat, a Hello Kitty camera and a plush toy of Pusheen, a popular cartoon by Chicago illustrator Claire Belton. —Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 21 Jan. 2025

Related Articles Like Lutnick, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s choice for Secretary of Health and Human Services, went with attire that was not your standard prom or wedding tux by sporting a two-tone jacket with a white tuxedo shirt that had black piping and black buttons. —Rosemary Feitelberg, WWD, 19 Jan. 2025

The incoming Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was also present and wore a navy and black lapel jacket, a white tuxedo shirt with black piping, accessorized with a bow tie and white pocket scarf. —Vogue, 19 Jan. 2025

The actor, known for his performances in Sing Sing, The Madness and Euphoria, donned a black tuxedo designed by Valentino's creative director Alessandro Michele. —Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 6 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Tuxedo Park, New York

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

tuxedo

noun

tux·​e·​do ˌtək-ˈsēd-ō 

plural tuxedos or tuxedoes

: a suit for men to be worn on special occasions

Etymology

named for Tuxedo Park, a resort in New York State, where the jacket first became popular

Word Origin

Tuxedo can be traced back to the name of a village in southeastern New York. In the 1880s, an area called Tuxedo Park, near the village of Tuxedo, became a popular vacation community. It was here, around the turn of the century, that young men began wearing a new kind of dress jacket. The new style was soon called tuxedo.