noun
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clothes, esp the distinctive attire of an occupation or profession
clerical garb
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style of dress; fashion
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external appearance, covering, or attire
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of garb
1585–95; < Middle French garbe graceful outline < Old Italian garbo grace < Germanic; compare Old High German garawen, Old English gearwian to prepare, adorn ( see gar 2), gear
Explanation
Your garb is what you are wearing — your clothing. You may choose the garb of an auto mechanic, even though you don’t know the difference between a carburetor and a catalytic converter, just because you like the look. Within your closet, you probably have the garb of a student — casual clothes that are just right for school — along with the more formal garb you are expected to wear for holidays at your grandmother's house or when giving a speech. When you usually see your buddy, the Marine, in his military garb, it might catch you by surprise when you see him flopped on his couch in the garb of a lazy lounger.
Vocabulary lists containing garb
100 SAT Words Beginning with "G"
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Vocabulary from the First Presidential Debate: September 26, 2016
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"The Devil and Tom Walker" by Washington Irving
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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.
It’ll be too hot to dress up in 19th-century garb, but Rachel plans to serve “Little House”-inspired snacks of popcorn and apples, foods the family ate throughout the series.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
The defendants -- both Chinese nationals who arrived in court in prison garb -- were acquitted of charges stemming from a separate bombing at a pier in Bangkok's Charoen Nakhon area.
From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026
The latter told NYT he might need to shop for more orange garb as he preps for the “Jeopardy!”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 28, 2026
And when I was there, there was someone dressed in old-timey garb playing a banjo.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 27, 2026
Instead, Lady Meng had traded her fine clothes for the coarse garb of the servant herself, and Pinmei and Yishan had thrown various robes and cloaks over their colorful clothing.
From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin
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.
