cravat

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.[1]

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /kɹəˈvat/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /kɹəˈvæt/

• Audio (AU)

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• Hyphenation: cra‧vat

cravat (plural cravats)

1. A wide fabric band worn as a necktie by men having long ends hanging in front.
   • 1906, Stanley J[ohn] Weyman, “The Dissolution”, in Chippinge Borough, New York, N.Y.: McClure, Phillips & Co., OCLC 580270828, page 3:

     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.

2. (historical) A decorative fabric band or scarf worn around the neck by women.
3. (surgery) A bandage resembling a cravat, particularly a triangular bandage folded into a strip.

• ascot, ascot tie

• cravatted (adjective)

cravat (third-person singular simple present cravats, present participle cravatting, simple past and past participle cravatted)

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

• cravat on Wikipedia.Wikipedia