apparel

[ uh-par-uhl ]
See synonyms for: apparelappareledapparelingapparelled on Thesaurus.com

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

  2. anything that decorates or covers.

  1. superficial appearance; aspect; guise.

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

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

verb (used with object),ap·par·eled, ap·par·el·ing or (especially British) ap·par·elled, ap·par·el·ling.
  1. to dress or clothe.

  2. to adorn; ornament.

  1. Nautical. to equip (a vessel) with apparel.

Origin of apparel

1
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 par1 -cule1) + -ā- thematic vowel + -re infinitive suffix

Other words for apparel

Other words from apparel

  • o·ver·ap·par·eled, adjective
  • un·ap·par·eled, adjective
  • well-ap·par·eled, adjective
  • well-ap·par·elled, adjective

Words Nearby apparel

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use apparel in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for apparel

apparel

/ (əˈpærəl) /


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

  2. nautical a vessel's gear and equipment

verb-els, -elling or -elled or US -els, -eling or -eled
  1. archaic (tr) to clothe, adorn, etc

Origin of apparel

1
C13: from Old French apareillier to make ready, from Vulgar Latin appariculāre (unattested), from Latin apparāre, from parāre to prepare

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012