Cravat
[krə-VAHT]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: French, mid-17th century
1.
A short, wide strip of fabric worn by men round the neck and tucked inside an open-necked shirt.
2.
(historical) A tie.
Examples of Cravat in a sentence
"No visit to Croatia, the birthplace of the cravat, would be complete without a colorful tie as a souvenir."
"I inherited a painting of my great-great-grandfather in which he's wearing a blue coat and a white cravat."
About Cravat
The cravat, the precursor to the modern necktie, was first worn by Croatian soldiers in the 17th century. Even though Croats first wrapped their necks in strips of fabric, the word cravat is not Croatian. French soldiers adopted the accessory after seeing the Croats, and "cravate" is French for Croat. In German it's "Krabat" and in Serbian and Croatian it's "Hrvat." But you can just call it a tie.
Did you Know?
If you have a prized collection of neckties, you might want to add Croatia to your travel bucket list. The cravat, or the original necktie, was first worn by Croat soldiers in the 17th century. In more recent years, Croatia has embraced its contribution to men's fashion with a celebration of Cravat Day. The inaugural holiday was celebrated in 2003 with a giant red cravat being wrapped about the arena in Pula, Croatia.
