caftan

American  

[kaf-tan, kaf-tan] / ˈkæf tæn, kæfˈtæn /

Or kaftan

noun

1. a long garment having long sleeves and tied at the waist by a girdle, worn under a coat in the Middle East.

2. a long, full, usually collarless robe with wide sleeves that is worn at home for lounging or entertaining or at the beach as a cover-up.

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caftan British  

/ -ˌtɑːn, ˈkæfˌtæn /

noun

1. a variant spelling of kaftan

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Other Word Forms

• caftaned adjective

Etymology

Origin of caftan

First recorded in 1585–95; from Russian kaftán, from Turkish, from Persian qaftān

Example Sentences

In 2023 Chamlee sold a 1960s caftan that didn’t fit her—but turned out to be made by artist Pegge Hopper—for $600 on eBay.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 8, 2025

The natural next stop is caftan glam and “fun!” prints beloved by aunts who live for blended drinks.

From Salon • Jun. 7, 2025

And of course, there is Victoria Ratliff’s caftan.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2025

Using her arms as a makeshift clapboard, a Sudanese woman in a black hijab and black-and-white caftan clapped her hands together, signaling the beginning of the rehearsal.

From New York Times • Jun. 3, 2024

A man wearing a stained white caftan walked into the yard on a Saturday afternoon, and Olanna hurried up to him, certain that he had come with news of Ugwu.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie