cravat
pronunciation
How to pronounce cravat in British English:
UK [krəˈvæt]
How to pronounce cravat in American English:
US [krəˈvæt]
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- Noun:
- neckwear worn in a slipknot with long ends overlapping vertically in front
Word Origin
- cravat
- cravat: [17] The fashion for wearing scarves round the neck started in France in the 1650s. It was inspired by Croatian mercenaries employed there at that time, who regularly sported linen neckbands of that type. The Croats were called in French Cravates (the name comes via German Krabate from the original Serbo-Croat term Hrvat), and so their neckerchiefs came to be known as cravates too. English was quick to adopt the term.
- cravat (n.)
- 1650s, from French cravate (17c.), from Cravate "Croatian," from German Krabate, from Serbo-Croatian Hrvat "a Croat" (see Croat). Cravats came into fashion 1650s in imitation of linen scarves worn by Croatian mercenaries in the French army in the Thirty Years War.
Example
- 1. Mr. kenge adjusting his cravat , then looked at us .
- 2. I have never seen a man wearing cravat .
- 3. The high white cravat suited the elegance of the hall .
- 4. A light-haired young man , without a cravat , went from barricade to barricade , carrying pass-words .
- 5. He sent one glare of fierce , exultant defiance at the man in collar and cravat now .