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

Sly’s style followed a long Black fashion lineage of high drama and imagination, picking up traditions set by the likes of Gladys Bentley’s gender-bending tuxedos, Little Richard’s pompadour and makeup, and The Supreme’s coordinated costume. —Hillary Crosley Coker, Rolling Stone, 11 June 2025

Her husband, actor George Clooney, wore a classic black tuxedo with a bowtie. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 9 June 2025

Reeves, 60, and Winter, 59, matched in classic black tuxedo looks. —Sharareh Drury, People.com, 8 June 2025

George, who is nominated for best performance by a leading actor in a play for his role in Good Night, and Good Luck, opted for a sleek, classic tuxedo. —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 8 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Tuxedo Park, New York

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for tuxedo

• amido
• ejido
• libido

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.