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)

, ap·par·eled, ap·par·el·ing or (especially British) ap·par·elled, ap·par·el·ling.

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 Words From

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

Many apparel companies have successfully moved and mitigated the risks to other low-end alternative options to China.

From Fortune

All kinds of businesses – be it food and beverage, apparel and footwear, beauty, automotive, travel, or hospitality all have been severely impacted.

From Search Engine Watch

Online retailers may also see much higher than average returns as consumers traditionally shopping for apparel or gift items in-store move to more online shopping.

From Search Engine Land

Meanwhile, the work-from-home trend has caused a big hit to the apparel and beauty industry as less people are spending on new clothes and cosmetics when they aren’t going out.

From Search Engine Land

For industries that aren’t seeing growth, such as apparel, Q3 is the time to employ defensive advertising strategies to maintain customer loyalty.

From Search Engine Land

As a test, Sun shipped over a container stuffed with apparel made in his home province.

From The Daily Beast

The American Apparel adverts are deemed tacky and offensive because they dramatize, brazenly, the sex-drenched time we live in.

From The Daily Beast

Allan Mayer, American Apparel's co-chair, seemingly laughed at Charney's plea, labeling him "a dreamer."

From The Daily Beast

Ipanema has long been the hotbed of beach apparel, launching looks like the tanga and the g-string.

From The Daily Beast

Charney was ousted as CEO of American Apparel, which has been struggling in recent years.

From The Daily Beast

After all, here was a babe equipped to face the exigencies of a censorious world; in looks and apparel a credit to any father.

From Project Gutenberg

Wearing apparel, furniture, jewelry, even legal expenses incurred in regaining her conjugal rights have been included.

From Project Gutenberg

Some half-decayed pieces of cloth and portions of wearing apparel were still lying in it.

From Project Gutenberg

She wouldnt have had her mother know how really thin her apparel seemed for anything in the world.

From Project Gutenberg

Shortly there appeared a youngish man, constructed by nature to adorn wearing apparel.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• dress
• equipment
• garment
• gear