- present participle of clothe.
clothing
Americannoun
-
garments collectively
-
something that covers or clothes
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of clothing
First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English; clothe + -ing 1
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How does clothing compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Clothing is what your wear, like sweaters, shirts, pants, dresses, and so on. Your favorite piece of clothing might be your purple polka dotted tights. Clothing is made of fabric and covers our bodies, keeps them warm or protects them from the sun, insects, sharp rocks and thorns, and other hazards. In some situations, clothing keeps people safe, as when medical workers wear scrubs, gloves, and masks to protect themselves and patients from infection. Often clothing reflects your personal values or religion, like a Muslim woman's hijab that covers her hair. The Old English root is claþ, "cloth or woven material."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Under the legislation, ultra-fast fashion will be determined according to two factors: the volume of clothing placed on the market and the cost of repairing garments relative to their purchase price.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
Following a series of pop-ups, the French brand finds home in a petite new space at Brentwood Country Mart, offering a curated selection of its clothing and accessories.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
As Toronto Star columnist Liz Renzetti put it recently, “We are wolves in beavers’ clothing.
From Salon ● Aug. 31, 2026
The levy follows legislation passed by the French parliament in June to regulate so-called "ultra-fast fashion" companies, known for selling large volumes of lower quality clothing at rock-bottom prices.
From Barron's ● Aug. 31, 2026
Finally, she gets a steady office job at Levi Strauss & Co., an American clothing company, where she interacts with the public daily.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
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.
