cravat means A wide fabric band worn as a necktie by men having long ends hanging in front. It carries an Arena rating of 1528, earned across 2 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, cravat ranks #569 of 17,143 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words, #2,492 of 17,126 for Most Elegant Words, #2,820 of 17,127 for Most Vivid Words, #3,489 of 17,104 for Most Storied Words.
cravat is pronounced /kɹəˈvat/.
Why “cravat” is a great word
A wide fabric band worn around the neck, originating as a scarf worn by Croatian mercenaries in the 17th century. From French *cravate*, an appellative use of *Cravate* (“Croat”), from Serbo-Croatian *Hr̀vāt/Хр̀ва̄т* (“Croat”), first attested in English in the 1650s. Unlike the modern “necktie,” a tailored and narrower band with a fixed knot, or the specific “ascot” pinned for morning dress, the cravat is its looser, more voluminous ancestor. It is the linen sling of a cavalry officer against the dust of a campaign, the careless elegance of a dandy’s silk draped in a coffee-house, the flutter of fabric that refuses to sit still—a banner for the throat, proclaiming one’s station long after the battle has moved indoors, and reminding us that elegance often begins as something merely worn to keep warm.
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.
noun
- A wide fabric band worn as a necktie by men having long ends hanging in front.
- A decorative fabric band or scarf worn around the neck by women.
- A bandage resembling a cravat, particularly a triangular bandage folded into a strip.
verb
- To adorn with a cravat; to tie a cravat, or something resembling a cravat, around the neck.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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