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

McDonald wants his team to focus on the Mindful Athlete: goal-oriented, active people who mix and match athletic and lifestyle apparel.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

A handful of apparel companies staged significant rallies on better-than-expected quarterly results.

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Younger shoppers are emerging as an important driver of growth for the industry, Morning Consult’s data suggests, with wealthy millennials and Gen Z adults leading demand for high-end apparel.

Read more on Barron's

Younger shoppers are emerging as an important driver of growth for the industry, Morning Consult’s data suggests, with wealthy millennials and Gen Z adults leading demand for high-end apparel.

Read more on Barron's

The apparel and home goods retailer on Tuesday posted a profit of $116.4 million, or $1.28 a share, in the quarter ended Oct.

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Related Words

• dress 
• equipment 
• garment 
• gear