robe

American  

[rohb] / roʊb /

noun

1. a long, loose or flowing gown or outer garment worn by men or women as ceremonial dress, an official vestment, or garb of office.

2. any long, loose garment, especially one for wear while lounging or preparing to dress, as a bathrobe or dressing gown.

3. a woman's gown or dress, especially of a more elaborate kind.

   a robe for the evening.

4. robes, apparel in general; dress; costume.

5. a piece of fur, cloth, knitted work, etc., used as a blanket, covering, or wrap.

   a buffalo robe; a lap robe.

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verb (used with object)

robed, robing

1. to clothe or invest with a robe or robes; dress; array.

verb (used without object)

robed, robing

1. to put on a robe.

robe British  

/ rəʊb /

noun

1. any loose flowing garment, esp the official vestment of a peer, judge, or academic

2. a dressing gown or bathrobe

3. informal a wardrobe

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verb

1. to put a robe, etc, on (oneself or someone else); dress

Other Word Forms

• robeless adjective
• rober noun
• underrobe noun

Etymology

Origin of robe

1225–75; Middle English < Old French: originally, spoil, booty < Germanic (akin to rob ); compare Old High German roub > German Raub

Explanation

A robe is a loose piece of clothing that you might wear over your pajamas or put on when you get out of the shower. Most robes tie around the waist with a fabric belt. There are dressier types of robes as well, like the ceremonial robes a judge wears in a courtroom or the elegant robes worn by a queen on a formal occasion. You can also use robe a verb, meaning "to dress or clothe," or literally "to put on a robe." Robe shares a Germanic root with rob, most likely from the idea that robbers would "take garments from the enemy as spoils or booty."

Example Sentences

It felt like lying, creekside, in a spa robe wrapped in a blanket of chamomile and rosemary-scented fog.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

The room, indeed, appeared spooky and abandoned with cobwebs and Fey wearing a robe made out of Paddington, which she said she got after hosting “SNL UK” last month.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026

Montaigne “has seen too much of gentlemen in the long robe, until he wishes for cannibals,” he suggests.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

I’m also struck by images of Paññākāra on his long walk from Fort Worth to Washington, his robe bearing rows and rows of police and military badges.

From Salon • Feb. 13, 2026

Mom emerged from her bedroom, tying the belt of her robe.

From "A Boy Called Bat" by Elana K. Arnold

Related Words

• bathrobe
• costume
• dress
• frock
• garment
• kimono
• vestment