garb

[ gahrb ]

noun

1. a fashion or mode of dress, especially of a distinctive, uniform kind:

   in the garb of a monk.

   Synonyms: cut, style

2. wearing apparel; clothes.

   Synonyms: attire, costume, dress, clothing

3. outward appearance or form.

verb (used with object)

1. to dress; clothe.

garb

/ ɡɑːb /

noun

1. clothes, esp the distinctive attire of an occupation or profession

   clerical garb

2. style of dress; fashion
3. external appearance, covering, or attire

verb

1. tr to clothe or cover; attire

Derived Forms

• ˈgarbless, adjective

Other Words From

• garbless adjective
• under·garb noun
• un·garbed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of garb¹

1585–95; < Middle French garbe graceful outline < Old Italian garbo grace < Germanic; compare Old High German garawen, Old English gearwian to prepare, adorn ( gar ² ), gear

Word History and Origins

Origin of garb¹

C16: from Old French garbe graceful contour, from Old Italian garbo grace, probably of Germanic origin

Example Sentences

A quick fix for our times are hoodies tricked out to resemble the garb of lords, ladies and heraldry-specific monarchs.

From Washington Post

One post described a group of young men in “military garb” forcing their way through a barricade, breaking a window and storming into the building, damaging furniture on the way in, according to a statement of facts.

From Washington Post

If our only concern was nature’s well-being, I’m afraid to tell you that our best behavior would be to stay far away from nature and not buy the gasoline, pickup trucks, polyester garb, and plastic rafts that must be manufactured for us to enjoy it.

From Outside Online

Rather than be clad in their leafy garb, distant trees still seemed cloaked in a pale haze of tentative new buds.

From Washington Post

So Aoki purchased a surgical robe, mask, and gloves and began showing up to homes dressed in full medical garb.

From Freakonomics

Religious leaders were there, Logan said, but not all of them were dressed in typical preacher garb.

From The Daily Beast

One depicts a procession of figures wearing both Mayan and Spanish garb, some holding what appear to be human hearts.

From The Daily Beast

There were men dressed in colonial garb complete with knee-breeches and powdered wigs.

From The Daily Beast

Their militarized garb reflected the atmosphere: West Florissant is a war zone.

From The Daily Beast

On the streets of Cairo pictures of Sisi in full military garb are plastered on billboards and hang from lampposts.

From The Daily Beast

Looking through this hole, the king perceived an old man weeping, a man in mourning garb singing, and a nun or widow dancing.

From Project Gutenberg

He did not have to wait very long until a man in the garb of a telegraph messenger came up the street.

From Project Gutenberg

Their garb, their gestures, their salutations, had a wild and barbarous character.

From Project Gutenberg

My attention was now directed to three who were among the worthiest, adorned with crowns, and in the silken garb of archangels.

From Project Gutenberg

He was dressed in khaki—a garb much affected by transcontinental automobile tourists.

From Project Gutenberg