habiliment

American  

[huh-bil-uh-muhnt] / həˈbɪl ə mənt /

noun

1. Usually habiliments.

   1. clothes or clothing.

   2. clothes as worn in a particular profession, way of life, etc.

2. habiliments, accouterments or trappings.

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habiliment British  

/ həˈbɪlɪmənt /

noun

1. (often plural) dress or attire

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• habilimentary
  adjective
• habilimented
  adjective
• habilimental
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of habiliment

1375–1425; late Middle English ( h ) abylement < Middle French habillement, equivalent to habill ( er ), abill ( ier ) to trim a log, hence, dress, prepare (< Vulgar Latin *adbiliare; see a- ⁵, billet ²) + -ment -ment

Explanation

Habiliment is an old-fashioned word for "clothing." You may want to get up extra early on the first day of school so you have time to choose the perfect habiliments to wear. When you come across this unusual word, you'll almost always see it in its plural form, habiliments. In this way, it's similar to the word clothes — and they also share a meaning, "items worn to cover the body." The original 15th-century definition of habiliments was "weapons or munitions," from the Middle French word abiller, "prepare or fit out."