raiment

American  

[rey-muhnt] / ˈreɪ mənt /

noun

1. clothing; apparel; attire.

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raiment British  

/ ˈreɪmənt /

noun

1. archaic attire; clothing; garments

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Etymology

Origin of raiment

1350–1400; Middle English rayment, aphetic variant of arrayment. See array, -ment

Explanation

Raiment is an old-fashioned word for clothing, particularly fancy clothing, like ladies who always wore their best raiment when calling on friends. Raiment is formal clothing. It comes from the Old French word areer or "to array," which describes dressing in decorative clothing, or adorning yourself in the very best. The word raiment has mostly gone out of use, much like the rare practice of getting very dressed up.

Example Sentences

That’s how they dressed offstage, too, a little less flashy, perhaps, but garbed in Jazz Age raiment.

From Washington Post • Oct. 4, 2021

The group, now with a wealthy and aristocratic membership of elite Catholics who parade in ornate raiment, has more recently specialized in aiding refugees and the poor in more than 100 countries.

From New York Times • Jan. 28, 2017

"The widow and the orphan, the sick and the aged, present themselves, in succession, for food, and raiment, and medical assistance," reads an appeal for contributions written in 1827.

From BBC • Jun. 21, 2014

I think the Orwell worship that dominates English letters is, for the most part, a shabby raiment, but the fact remains that he writes with exemplary clarity.

From The Guardian • Jun. 6, 2014

“Ah, the governess!” he repeated; “deuce take me, if I had not forgotten! The governess!” and again my raiment underwent scrutiny.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë