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necktie

necktie

21 1.0
A long narrow piece of cloth you wear under a shirt collar and tie at the front
  • noun
  • /ˈnɛkˌtaɪ/
translation icon : corbata
  • Did you bring a necktie?

And I just bought these little neckties which I might wear when I'm in Paris.

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Examples

  • The man straightened his necktie and tilled hat, then brushed a speck of ash from his coat lapel.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Walter straightened his necktie and shot a quick glance at the mirror.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Back at the community college, you wear a necktie every day.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • I have to put on a necktie and a coat.

  • And I just bought these little neckties which I might wear when I'm in Paris.

  • Wannum wore a new necktie his mother bought for the occasion.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • In the bathroom, Bernzy is knotting a necktie quickly but poorly.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • The glary bronze necktie was loosened, and his blue serge coat was unbuttoned.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • "Obviously." Bismarck, his conservative gray necktie dangling, bent and began stacking up scattered newspapers.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • He wore a necktie to the job interview to look more professional.

Synonyms

tie
vsnecktie
369 1.0

A long narrow piece of cloth worn around the neck and knotted at the front

is the standard formal neck cloth term rather than the shorter word
bow tie
vsnecktie
36 2.8

A small necktie tied in a bow, worn for formal events

is tied as a long knot rather than formed into a bow
ascot
vsnecktie
9 7.7

A wide necktie with square ends often fastened with a decorative pin

is normally tied into a knot rather than pinned with ornament
cravat
vsnecktie
  • Formal
7 7.9

A long thin piece of cloth worn around the neck and tied at the front to wear with smart clothes

is the simpler front knot style used across modern formal wear
bolo tie
vsnecktie
  • US
1 7.5

A thin cord worn around the neck and held by a decorative clasp as a necktie

is usually a cloth strip tied into a knot under the collar
skinny tie
vsnecktie
  • Archaic
1 4.1

A narrow necktie popular in the late 1950s and 1960s

is the typical width used in formal or business dressing
string tie
vsnecktie
1 6.5

A very narrow necktie made of string or ribbon and tied in a bow

is a longer, broader cloth tied in a front knot under the collar
old school tie
vsnecktie
  • UK
1 8.4

A narrow cloth worn at the neck to show which school someone went to and social connections

is mainly a neutral accessory for formal or business appearance
Windsor tie
vsnecktie
5.3

A wide necktie often tied in a large knot for formal occasions

is generally narrower and tied simply under the collar
neckcloth
vsnecktie
  • Archaic
9.9

A decorative piece of cloth tied around the neck, often white and worn at formal events

is the common modern neck cloth for business and formal outfits

Compounds

9.9

A strong rope tied into a loop for hanging people

A social event where guests wear ties

How Formal

bow tie
36 2.8
cravat
  • Formal
7 7.9
ascot
9 7.7
necktie
21 1.0
bolo tie
  • US
1 7.5

Surface Forms

necktie singular
neckties plural

Morphology

necktie = neck + tie (transparent) = neck + tie

The meaning is a straightforward compound of 'neck' + 'tie' and is directly inferable by learners.

Etymology

Necktie is just two simple words joined together: neck ('the part of the body between the head and the shoulders') and tie ('to fasten with a knot'). So a necktie is a strip of cloth you 'tie' around your 'neck', which explains why it is worn under a shirt collar.