gown

[goun]

noun

1. a woman's dress or robe, especially one that is full-length.

   Synonyms: frock

2. nightgown.

3. dressing gown.

4. evening gown.

5. a loose, flowing outer garment in any of various forms, worn by a man or woman as distinctive of office, profession, or status.

   an academic gown.

6. the student and teaching body in a university or college town.

verb (used with object)

1. to dress in a gown.

gown

/ ɡaʊn /

noun

1. any of various outer garments, such as a woman's elegant or formal dress, a dressing robe, or a protective garment, esp one worn by surgeons during operations

2. a loose wide garment indicating status, such as worn by academics

3. the members of a university as opposed to the other residents of the university town Compare town

verb

1. (tr) to supply with or dress in a gown

Other Word Forms

• ungowned adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of gown¹

1300–50; Middle English goune < Old French < Late Latin gunna fur or leather garment

Word History and Origins

Origin of gown¹

C14: from Old French goune, from Late Latin gunna garment made of leather or fur, of Celtic origin

Idioms and Phrases

see cap and gown; town and gown.

Synonym Study

See dress.

Example Sentences

His image of Crawford at home, on her knees, scrubbing her kitchen floor—in an Adrian gown—is unforgettable.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Bosch staged a dramatic walkout earlier this month -- in an evening gown and high heels -- from a meeting where she was lambasted by Thai organiser Nawat Itsaragrisil.

Read more on Barron's

Then during the preliminary evening gown round on Wednesday night, Miss Jamaica accidentally fell onstage and had to be rushed out of the theatre in a stretcher.

Read more on BBC

The woman is draped in a grassy gown highlighted with golden stripes.

Read more on Literature

Meanwhile, Cassiopeia found a length of pink tulle in Madame LePoint’s trunk of fabric scraps, left over from a petticoat made for one of Lady Constance’s gowns.

Read more on Literature

Related Words

• costume 
• frock 
• garb 
• garment