dressed.
ill-clad vagrants.
covered.
vine-clad cottages.
before 950; Middle English cladd ( e ), Old English clāthod ( e ) clothed. See clothe, -ed 2
First recorded in 1935–40; special use of clad 1
Clad means "dressed or covered." Most kids go to school clad in jeans and t-shirts, but students in the Shakespeare club might show up clad in velvet gowns or leather breeches. As a verb, clad is the past tense and past particle of “clothe,” as in “the leprechaun clad himself in green.” It’s also an adjective that describes being covered or clothed, so a building can be clad in brick, while a person can be clad in head-to-toe sequins. It’s an old-fashioned word, kind of like “shod,” which means “wearing footwear.”
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Another image showed Trump looming over warships, dressed as a military commander clad in gold armor, as fighter jets flew overhead.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
All are clad from head to toe in hazard suits with facemasks and goggles, to guard against a disease spread through close physical contact and bodily fluids.
From Barron's • May 24, 2026
A group of about 15 men, mostly clad in black, swarmed around her and the children to cover their faces from the waiting media pack.
From BBC • May 7, 2026
Rubio entered the Vatican through the Arch of the Bells, a privilege reserved for senior dignitaries, flanked by the colorfully clad Swiss Guards, who have been providing security to popes since 1506.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026
The door finished opening and Nehemia, clad in a gold-worked wonder, stood before her.
From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
