Dictionary

cravat en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /kɹəˈvæt/ (General-American)
• /kɹəˈvat/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Australia) audio

Etymology

From French cravate, an appellative use of Cravate (“Croat”), from Dutch Krawaat, from German Krawatte, from Serbo-Croatian Hr̀vāt/Хр̀ва̄т (“Croat”). The cravat is regarded as originating from a linen scarf worn by Croatian mercenaries which was adopted into French fashion in the 17th century. Doublet of Croat.

Meanings

1. A wide fabric band worn as a necktie by men having long ends hanging in front.
   • It was April 22, 1831, and a young man was walking down Whitehall in the direction of Parliament Street. He wore shepherd's plaid trousers and the swallow-tail coat of the day, with a figured muslin cravat wound about his wide-spread collar. 1906, Stanley J[ohn] Weyman, “The Dissolution”, in Chippinge Borough, New York, N.Y.: McClure, Phillips & Co., →OCLC, page 3:
   • I'm not like, a fashion person, so maybe I just don't get it, but I don't even understand how you're going to match. What, are you going to get like... a cravat that's the same color as her dress? / I would rock a dope cravat. 2025, S.E. Case, chapter 1, in Rigsby WI, volume 1: Foothold, →ISBN, retrieved 23 Aug 2025, page 9:
2. (historical) A decorative fabric band or scarf worn around the neck by women.
3. A bandage resembling a cravat, particularly a triangular bandage folded into a strip.

Forms

Deriveds

cravatted · cravating · hempen cravat

Hyponyms

ascot tie · ascot

Translations (11)

bg шалче за врат (wide fabric band) · ga carbhat (wide fabric band) · sh kravata (wide fabric band) · gl fular (wide fabric band) · fr foulard (wide fabric band) · pl fular (wide fabric band) · es mascada (wide fabric band) · la fōcāle (wide fabric band) · pdt Schlips (wide fabric band) · cy crafat (wide fabric band) · cy crafet (wide fabric band)

wikipedia: Memorial Art Gallery · wikipedia: Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres · wikipedia: University of Rochester · wikipedia: NPR

cravat en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /kɹəˈvæt/ (General-American)
• /kɹəˈvat/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Australia) audio

Etymology

From French cravate, an appellative use of Cravate (“Croat”), from Dutch Krawaat, from German Krawatte, from Serbo-Croatian Hr̀vāt/Хр̀ва̄т (“Croat”). The cravat is regarded as originating from a linen scarf worn by Croatian mercenaries which was adopted into French fashion in the 17th century. Doublet of Croat.

Meanings

1. (rare, transitive) To adorn with a cravat; to tie a cravat, or something resembling a cravat, around the neck.

Forms

wikipedia: Memorial Art Gallery · wikipedia: Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres · wikipedia: University of Rochester · wikipedia: NPR