In der abendländ. Mode das Obergewand der Frau; auch allg. Bez. für Bekleidung.
(Irregular plural: dresses).
1. A one-piece garment for a woman; has skirt and bodice; SYN. frock. Versatile one-piece garment for women, incorporating a bodice and skirt which may be combined in a wide variety of styles. A dress may have long or short sleeves or no sleeves at all; the length can vary from very long to very short; it can be made of any fabric; and designs can be adapted to suit all occasions and all seasons. “Dress” is also a general term for clothing, sometimes indicating formality.
2 Covering, adornment, or appearance appropriate or peculiar to a particular time.
3. A particular form of presentation; guise.
ETYM French froc a monk's cowl, coat, garment, Late Lat. frocus, froccus, flocus, floccus, from Latin floccus a flock of wool; hence orig., a flocky cloth or garment; cf. Latin flaccus flabby, Eng. flaccid.
1. A loose outer garment; especially, a gown forming a part of early modern clothing for women and children.
2. A coarse gown worn by monks or friars, and supposed to take the place of all, or nearly all, other garments.
ETYM Old Eng. goune, prob. from W. gwn gown, loose robe, akin to Irish gunn, Gael. gůn; cf. Old Fren. gone, prob. of the same origin.
1. Long flowing outer garment used for official or ceremonial occasions; SYN. robe.
2. Long, usually formal, woman's dress.
3. Protective garment worn by surgeons during operations; SYN. surgical gown, scrubs.
Outer garment, often an elegant or formal dress for women. Introduced in the late 14th century, it fitted the upper part of the body but fell loosely from the waist, and had a high upright collar. In England, during the reign of Henry VIII the gown was adapted to feature a low-cut neck and bell-shaped sleeves. Today the term is often used to refer to a formal evening dress.
In other contexts, a gown can also be the protective outer clothing worn by surgeons and support staff during operations or the formal outer garment worn by academics, judges, or peers, also known as a robe.