black-tie
/ˌblæk ˈtaɪ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌblæk ˈtaɪ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈblak-ˌtī/ (ame, mw)
black-tie — noun
1. a set of very formal clothes worn in the evening, which for men includes a black
a set of very formal clothes worn in the evening, which for men includes a black bow tie, a white shirt, and a dinner jacket, and for women includes a long dress made of elegant fabric
The invitation said black-tie, so Theo rented a dinner jacket and a bow tie.
Aiko rented her black-tie attire for the awards dinner at the hotel ballroom.
Most guests arrived in black-tie, filling the ballroom with long dresses and dark suits.
The wedding reception required black-tie, so everyone spent weeks choosing formal evening clothes.
Yusuf had never worn black-tie before, so his friend helped him with the bow tie.
- formal wear
a broader category that includes black-tie and white-tie attire
- evening dress
common in British English, often refers to the same clothing
- dinner jacket
refers specifically to the men's jacket, not the whole outfit
- casual wear
everyday, relaxed clothing with no dress code
文法句型
black-tie + is
常見錯誤
black-tie — adjective
1. describes a social event such as a dinner, party, or ceremony where guests are e
describes a social event such as a dinner, party, or ceremony where guests are expected to wear very formal evening clothes, typically including a bow tie and tuxedo for men and an elegant dress for women
The museum is holding a black-tie gala to raise money for the new art wing.
collocation: black-tie gala / dinner / event
Leila received a black-tie invitation to the ambassador's New Year celebration in Taipei.
The company's annual dinner was a black-tie affair, with waiters serving champagne in crystal glasses.
Priya chose a velvet gown with silver earrings for the black-tie dinner at the embassy.
At the black-tie ceremony, each guest was announced by name as they entered the hall.
文法句型
black-tie + noun
用法筆記
Used only attributively (before a noun) — you say 'a black-tie event', not 'the event was black-tie' in standard usage, though the predicate use appears informally.
常見錯誤
black-tie — phrase
1. a dress code that falls between casual and fully formal, requiring a dinner jack
a dress code that falls between casual and fully formal, requiring a dinner jacket or tuxedo for men and a cocktail dress or long gown for women, but not the tailcoat worn at white-tie events
The invitation specified black tie, so Diego knew he did not need a tailcoat.
The charity ball had a black-tie dress code, and most women wore long silk dresses.
collocation: black-tie dress code
Yusuf was glad the dress code was black tie, not the stricter white tie.
- semi-formal
very similar, though some consider semi-formal slightly less formal than black tie
文法句型
black tie + is
用法筆記
When used as a noun phrase without the hyphen ('black tie'), this refers to the dress code level itself. The hyphenated form 'black-tie' is more commonly used as an adjective.