clothing

[kloh-th ing]

See more synonyms for clothing on Thesaurus.com

noun

garments collectively; clothes; raiment; apparel.
a covering.

Origin of clothing

Middle English word dating back to 1150–1200; see origin at clothe, -ing¹

clothe

[klohth]

verb (used with object), clothed or clad, cloth·ing.

to dress; attire.
to provide with clothing.
to cover with or as with clothing.

Origin of clothe

before 950; Middle English clothen, Old English clāthian, derivative of clāth cloth

Related formshalf-clothed, adjectivepre·clothe, verb (used with object), pre·clothed, pre·cloth·ing.re·clothe, verb (used with object), re·clothed or re·clad, re·cloth·ing.un·der·clothed, adjectivewell-clothed, adjective

Can be confusedcloth clothe clothes

Synonyms

See more synonyms for clothe on Thesaurus.com

1. robe, garb, array, accouter, bedeck.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for clothing

Contemporary Examples

Today, the city is an Asian hipster outpost, with shopping malls, clothing boutiques, and mixologist-prepared cocktails.
Cambodia’s Smoke-and-Mirrors Democracy
David Shaftel
January 9, 2015
Families stuff a life-size male doll with memories of the outgoing year and dress him in their clothing.
New Year’s Eve, Babylon Style
Candida Moss
December 31, 2014
His clothing line that his friend described as “upscale and urban” was a dud.
Alleged Cop Killer’s Blood-Soaked Screenplay
M.L. Nestel
December 24, 2014
Sneaker and clothing brands routinely dole out buckets of dough to drape their swag over popular cultural characters.
Would You Pay $100 For a 50 Cent Bulge? Men’s Undies Get Expensive
James Joiner
December 23, 2014
After cleaning up the copious amount of blood on my body in a bathroom, I found my clothing and got dressed.
I Was Gang Raped at a UVA Frat 30 Years Ago, and No One Did Anything
Liz Seccuro
December 16, 2014

Historical Examples

Is not the life more precious than its food, and the body than its clothing?
The Conquest of Fear
Basil King
He ran up the staircase to his room and flung on some clothing.
K
Mary Roberts Rinehart
If it were not for the necessity of bread and clothing, what a good time a fellow might have.
In the Midst of Alarms
Robert Barr
The kind of clothing worn by a man whose tailor is a blacksmith.
The Devil's Dictionary
Ambrose Bierce
All their clothing was wet and they were discolored with mud.
The Rock of Chickamauga
Joseph A. Altsheler

British Dictionary definitions for clothing

clothing

noun

garments collectively
something that covers or clothes

clothe

verb clothes, clothing, clothed or clad (tr)

to dress or attire (a person)
to provide with clothing or covering
to conceal or disguise
to endow or invest

Word Origin

Old English clāthian, from clāth cloth; related to Old Norse klætha

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

Word Origin and History for clothing

n.

c.1200, "action of dressing in clothes," verbal noun from clothe. From late 13c. as "clothes collectively;" 1590s as an adjective.

clothe

v.

Old English claðian, from claþ (see cloth). Related: Clothed, clothing. Other Old English words for this were scrydan and gewædian.

Idioms and Phrases with clothing

clothing

see wolf in sheep's clothing.

clothing

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}clothing

clothe

Origin of clothe

Synonyms

Examples from the Web for clothing

Contemporary Examples

Today, the city is an Asian hipster outpost, with shopping malls, clothing boutiques, and mixologist-prepared cocktails.

Families stuff a life-size male doll with memories of the outgoing year and dress him in their clothing.

His clothing line that his friend described as “upscale and urban” was a dud.

Sneaker and clothing brands routinely dole out buckets of dough to drape their swag over popular cultural characters.

After cleaning up the copious amount of blood on my body in a bathroom, I found my clothing and got dressed.

Historical Examples

Is not the life more precious than its food, and the body than its clothing?

He ran up the staircase to his room and flung on some clothing.

If it were not for the necessity of bread and clothing, what a good time a fellow might have.

The kind of clothing worn by a man whose tailor is a blacksmith.

All their clothing was wet and they were discolored with mud.

clothing

clothe

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for clothing

n.

clothe

v.

Idioms and Phrases with clothing

clothing

Origin of clothing