# attire

/əˈtaɪɝ/ (US) · /ɐtˈaɪə/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/attire
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. clothing

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

the clothes that you wear, especially for a special occasion or a specific job.

For teachers: clothing or dress, particularly of a distinctive or formal nature. Often used in professional or social contexts to specify a required standard of dress.

- The invitation says that formal attire is required for the wedding dinner.
- The corporate handbook specifies that professional business attire must be worn at all times when meeting with prospective international clients.

### 3. animal horns

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the horns of a deer or similar animal.

For teachers: the horns or antlers of a stag or deer. This sense is highly technical and restricted to hunting or heraldry.

- The hunter examined the deer's attire to determine its age.
- In traditional heraldry, the stag is often depicted with its attire painted in a contrasting gold to signify nobility.

## Examples

- She wore elegant attire to the wedding.
- The invitation specified formal attire, so he put on a dark suit and tie.
- The museum's strict dress code required modest attire, ensuring that visitors respected the solemn atmosphere of the ancient galleries.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.