apparel

American  

[uh-par-uhl] / əˈpær əl /

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.

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verb (used with object)

apparels, present (3rd person singular) appareled, past participle, past apparelled, past participle, past appareling, present participle apparelling present participle

1. to dress or clothe.

   Synonyms:

   array, outfit

2. to adorn; ornament.

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

apparel British  

/ əˈpærəl /

noun

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

2. nautical a vessel's gear and equipment

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verb

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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has appareled
  perfect 3rd person singular
• has apparelled
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have apparelled
  perfect
• have appareled
  perfect
• are apparelling
  progressive
• is apparelling
  progressive 3rd person singular
• has been appareling
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• has been apparelling
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• have been apparelling
  perfect progressive
• are appareling
  progressive
• is appareling
  progressive 3rd person singular
• am appareling
  progressive 1st person singular
• am apparelling
  progressive 1st person singular
• apparels
  singular 3rd person
• have been appareling
  perfect progressive
• appareling
  participle
• apparelling
  participle

Past

• had appareled
  perfect
• had apparelled
  perfect
• were appareling
  progressive plural
• had been apparelling
  perfect progressive
• appareled
  simple
• was apparelling
  progressive singular
• had been appareling
  perfect progressive
• were apparelling
  progressive plural
• was appareling
  progressive singular
• appareled
  participle
• apparelled
  simple
• apparelled
  participle

Future

• will apparel
  simple
• will have appareled
  perfect
• will have apparelled
  perfect
• will be apparelling
  progressive
• will have been appareling
  perfect progressive
• will be appareling
  progressive
• will have been apparelling
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of apparel

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

Explanation

Apparel is just another word for what you wear. Hopefully the apparel you wear to work — suits and heels — is very different from the apparel you wear on the weekends — pajama pants and bunny slippers. The noun apparel got its start from the Latin apparare, meaning to “prepare, make ready,” or ad-particulare, meaning “to put things together.” In the mid 13th century it evolved into a verb meaning “to equip.” It wasn’t until the next century that people began to use apparel as both a verb meaning “to attire” and as a noun meaning garments or clothing. Said 17th century British writer Thomas Fuller, “…Apparel shapes: but it's money that finishes the man.”

Example Sentences

Hugo Boss, which offers apparel, footwear and fragrances in the accessible-luxury segment, posted a net profit of 249 million euros in 2025.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

The share of apparel exchanges where shoppers sized down reached 14.6% in 2025, rising for three consecutive years, according to Narvar.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026

Lululemon also agreed to bring aboard another director with expertise in apparel by Oct.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 4, 2026

Tariff-sensitive categories like apparel and household furnishings are also still climbing.

From Salon • Jun. 1, 2026

Cluny’s personal armorer put the final touches to his Chief’s war apparel.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques

Related Words

• dress
• equipment
• garment
• gear