Definition

1. Noun:
   • Formal daytime attire for men: A traditional, formal style of clothing worn by men during the daytime, typically for events such as weddings, formal garden parties, or official ceremonies. It traditionally consists of a morning coat (a tailcoat with cutaway front), striped or grey trousers, a waistcoat, and often a formal shirt with a tie or ascot.
   • A woman's informal house dress (historical/archaic): An informal dress worn by women in the morning, often for household activities. This usage is now largely historical.

Usage and Examples

• Noun (Formal men's attire):
  • The groom and his father wore traditional morning dress for the wedding.
  • Guests were requested to wear morning dress for the garden party at the palace.
• Noun (Historical women's attire):
  • In Victorian times, a lady might change from her morning dress into a more formal gown for receiving afternoon visitors.

Advanced Usage and Notes

• "In morning dress": The phrase used to describe someone wearing this formal attire.
  • The members of the diplomatic corps were all in morning dress for the ceremony.
• The term almost exclusively refers to men's formal wear in contemporary usage. The historical sense for women's clothing is rarely used in modern English.

Variants and Related Words

• Morning coat: The key component (the tailcoat) of a morning dress ensemble.
• Formal wear / Daytime formalwear: Broader categories that include morning dress.
• Lounge suit: A less formal alternative for daytime events, consisting of a matching jacket and trousers.

Synonyms

• Formal day wear
• Day dress (in the historical, formal context)

Antonyms / Contrasting Terms

• Evening dress / Black tie: Formal attire worn for events after 6 p.m.
• Informal wear / Casual attire

Related Phrases and Idioms

• "Dress code: morning dress": A specified requirement for an event's attire.
  • The invitation clearly stated the dress code was morning dress.

Noun

1. a woman's informal dress for housework
2. formal attire for men during the daytime