habiliment

American  

[huh-bil-uh-muhnt] / həˈbɪl ə mənt /

noun

1. Usually habiliments.

   1. clothes or clothing.

   2. clothes as worn in a particular profession, way of life, etc.

2. habiliments, accouterments or trappings.

---

habiliment British  

/ həˈbɪlɪmənt /

noun

1. (often plural) dress or attire

---

Other Word Forms

• habilimental
  adjective
• habilimentary
  adjective
• habilimented
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of habiliment

1375–1425; late Middle English ( h ) abylement < Middle French habillement, equivalent to habill ( er ), abill ( ier ) to trim a log, hence, dress, prepare (< Vulgar Latin *adbiliare; see a- ⁵, billet ²) + -ment -ment

Explanation

Habiliment is an old-fashioned word for "clothing." You may want to get up extra early on the first day of school so you have time to choose the perfect habiliments to wear. When you come across this unusual word, you'll almost always see it in its plural form, habiliments. In this way, it's similar to the word clothes — and they also share a meaning, "items worn to cover the body." The original 15th-century definition of habiliments was "weapons or munitions," from the Middle French word abiller, "prepare or fit out."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

habiliment

Playwright Dorranee Davis has woven an ancient habiliment for his modern comedy.

From Time Magazine Archive

The old part of the town, fiercely antebellum, rested in the stillest slackwater celebration of itself, in the habiliment of azaleas cutting into shadows with a soft-winged blue, or a deepening ruby.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

The fever departed, and Dr. Trefusis now in health, he walked abroad, dressed in his stolen habiliment, swinging a cane like a beau of the first fashion.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

Others assign the habiliment to a Welshman, but give no authority for the assumption.

From The Sailor's Word-Book An Alphabetical Digest of Nautical Terms, including Some More Especially Military and Scientific, but Useful to Seamen; as well as Archaisms of Early Voyagers, etc. by Sir Edward Belcher

The young priest stood on one of the tombstones, with the broad sleeve of his monkish habiliment over his face.

From A Japanese Boy by Shigemi Shiukichi