Idioms

de rigueur

This page is about the idiom de rigueur

FORMAL

Meaning

If something is de rigueur, it is necessary to have if you want to be fashionable or be accepted into a particular social scene.

For example

  • For a long time baseball caps, hooded jackets and sneakers were de rigueur among kids into rap music.

  • Blue jeans and T-shirts seem to have become de rigueur for male executives in the computer industry in California.

Origin: This idiom is borrowed from French and a literal translation would be "of strictness".

Quick Quiz

Tattoos and pierced ears are de rigueur among

a. people who like ballroom dancing

b. college kids trying to be cool

c. old-fashioned politicians
a) people who like ballroom dancing b) college kids trying to be cool c) old-fashioned politicians

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Common English Idioms

Contributor: Matt Errey