gown

American  

[goun] / gaʊn /

noun

1. a woman's dress or robe, especially one that is full-length.

   Synonyms:

   frock

2. nightgown.

3. dressing gown.

4. evening gown.

5. a loose, flowing outer garment in any of various forms, worn by a man or woman as distinctive of office, profession, or status.

   an academic gown.

6. the student and teaching body in a university or college town.

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verb (used with object)

1. to dress in a gown.

gown British  

/ ɡaʊn /

noun

1. any of various outer garments, such as a woman's elegant or formal dress, a dressing robe, or a protective garment, esp one worn by surgeons during operations

2. a loose wide garment indicating status, such as worn by academics

3. the members of a university as opposed to the other residents of the university town Compare town

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verb

1. (tr) to supply with or dress in a gown

gown Idioms  

1. see cap and gown; town and gown.

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Related Words

See dress.

Other Word Forms

• ungowned adjective

Etymology

Origin of gown

1300–50; Middle English goune < Old French < Late Latin gunna fur or leather garment

Explanation

A gown is a formal dress. When your date to a party or dance is wearing a tuxedo, you'll probably want to wear a gown. There are many different kinds of gowns, including ball gowns, wedding gowns, and evening gowns. All of them are worn primarily by women on formal occasions. It was once common to call any one-piece woman's garment a gown, while now it's more often called a dress. The source of gown is the Old French goune, "robe, coat, or down," with the Latin root gunna, "hide or skin."

Example Sentences

Attendees took videos of him swaying beside the night’s honoree, a 15-year-old girl in a crown and glittering ivory ball gown celebrating her quinceañera.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

People published photos from their outdoor California ceremony, in which Steinfeld wore a white strapless gown, mesh gloves and her veil and Allen wore a traditional tuxedo.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

Courtney rips the IV from her arm and escapes, barefoot and in a hospital gown.

From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026

In 2005, actress Hilary Swank headed to Astro Burger in West Hollywood, still in her gown, after winning the Oscar for Million Dollar Baby.

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026

I quickly escaped my gown and corset and propped my overworked feet on the pillow to air them out.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

Related Words

• costume
• frock
• garb
• garment