A long piece of fabric worn around the neck and tucked inside a shirt, typically as formal wear.
Compound word from 'neck' (Old English 'hnecca') and 'tie' (Old Norse 'tjoa' meaning to tie). The modern necktie emerged in the 17th century when Croatian soldiers wore colorful scarves around their necks—the French called them 'cravates' (from Croat).
Neckties are basically a 350-year-old fashion invention based on Croatian military uniforms, and they're so impractical that modern workers are slowly abandoning them—yet they're still considered 'formal' and 'professional'!
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