apparel
Americannoun
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clothing, especially outerwear; garments; attire; raiment.
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anything that decorates or covers.
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superficial appearance; aspect; guise.
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Nautical. the masts, sails, anchor, etc., used to equip a vessel.
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Ecclesiastical. a piece of embroidery, usually oblong, on certain vestments, especially on the alb or amice.
verb (used with object)
noun
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something that covers or adorns, esp outer garments or clothing
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nautical a vessel's gear and equipment
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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apparelsimple
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apparelssimple
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have appareledperfect
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have apparelledperfect
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has appareledperfect
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has apparelledperfect
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are apparelingprogressive
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are apparellingprogressive
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am apparelingprogressive
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am apparellingprogressive
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is apparelingprogressive
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is apparellingprogressive
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have been apparelingperfect progressive
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have been apparellingperfect progressive
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has been apparelingperfect progressive
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has been apparellingperfect progressive
Past
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appareledsimple
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apparelledsimple
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had appareledperfect
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had apparelledperfect
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was apparelingprogressive
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was apparellingprogressive
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were apparelingprogressive
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were apparellingprogressive
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had been apparelingperfect progressive
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had been apparellingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of apparel
1200–50; Middle English appareillen < Old French apareillier to make fit, fit out < Vulgar Latin *appariculāre, equivalent to ap- ap- 1 + *paricul ( us ) a fit ( see par 1 -cule 1) + -ā- thematic vowel + -re infinitive suffix
Explanation
Apparel is just another word for what you wear. Hopefully the apparel you wear to work — suits and heels — is very different from the apparel you wear on the weekends — pajama pants and bunny slippers. The noun apparel got its start from the Latin apparare, meaning to “prepare, make ready,” or ad-particulare, meaning “to put things together.” In the mid 13th century it evolved into a verb meaning “to equip.” It wasn’t until the next century that people began to use apparel as both a verb meaning “to attire” and as a noun meaning garments or clothing. Said 17th century British writer Thomas Fuller, “…Apparel shapes: but it's money that finishes the man.”
Vocabulary lists containing apparel
Christmas Carol Vocab: A Lyrical Lexicon
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Words for Carolers
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Let's Go Caroling, List 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She decided to forfeit her 20-year career as a technical designer in the apparel industry after clothing company Lucky Brand eliminated her job during the pandemic.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 16, 2026
India's textile and apparel sector contributes more than 2.3% of GDP and represents approximately 13% of industrial production.
From Science Daily • Jun. 12, 2026
Hugo Boss, which offers apparel, footwear and fragrances in the accessible-luxury segment, posted a net profit of 249 million euros in 2025.
From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026
The share of apparel exchanges where shoppers sized down reached 14.6% in 2025, rising for three consecutive years, according to Narvar.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
She lived in town, a stout, grave woman with a slight Teutonic edge to her speech, over Lottie Opsvig’s apparel shop on Main.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
