apparel

[uh-par-uhl]

noun

1. clothing, especially outerwear; garments; attire; raiment.

   Synonyms: vesture, costume, garb, dress, clothes

2. anything that decorates or covers.

3. superficial appearance; aspect; guise.

4. Nautical.,  the masts, sails, anchor, etc., used to equip a vessel.

5. Ecclesiastical.,  a piece of embroidery, usually oblong, on certain vestments, especially on the alb or amice.

verb (used with object)

appareled, appareling , apparelled, apparelling .

1. to dress or clothe.

   Synonyms: array, outfit

2. to adorn; ornament.

3. Nautical.,  to equip (a vessel) with apparel.

apparel

/ əˈpærəl /

noun

1. something that covers or adorns, esp outer garments or clothing

2. nautical a vessel's gear and equipment

verb

1. archaic,  (tr) to clothe, adorn, etc

Other Word Forms

• overappareled adjective
• unappareled adjective
• well-appareled adjective
• well-apparelled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of apparel¹

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 ( par ¹ -cule ¹ ) + -ā- thematic vowel + -re infinitive suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of apparel¹

C13: from Old French apareillier to make ready, from Vulgar Latin appariculāre (unattested), from Latin apparāre, from parāre to prepare

Example Sentences

Li is part of a growing wave reshaping China’s consumption landscape: middle-income shoppers outside Beijing and Shanghai who are gravitating toward what marketers call “little luxury”—artisan cosmetics, premium apparel, and imported skin care.

Read more on Barron's

On the whole, however, Target remained the preferred place for both apparel and beauty purchases among women.

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Entertainment, apparel, personal care and food away from home make up nearly 14% of households’ outlays.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Inventory for apparel brands was up an average of 6.2% in the second quarter of 2025 compared with a year earlier, according to a review of companies by research firm Telsey Advisory Group.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He owns roughly 7.8% of American Eagle Outfitters, a publicly traded company that controls four apparel retail chains, including loungewear brand Aerie and men’s clothing retailer Todd Snyder.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• dress 
• equipment 
• garment 
• gear