noun
cravat
kruh-VAT
noun
1
A band of fabric worn around the neck, tied at the front, as an old-fashioned or formal alternative to a necktie.
"He wore a silk cravat with his tuxedo for the gala."
2
A triangular bandage folded into a strip, used to support an injured arm or dress a wound.
"The first-aider used a cravat bandage to support her sprained wrist."
How to Use Cravat
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA decorative neck scarf tied like an old-style tie, or a triangular first-aid bandage.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
silk cravat
tie a cravat
Word Forms
cravatted past tense, cravats plural, cravats singular
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Etymology
From French cravate, originally referring to a Croat (Croatian) mercenary — Croatian soldiers in 17th-century France wore a distinctive neck scarf that French fashion later copied and named after them.