robe
Americannoun
-
robes
plural
-
a long, loose or flowing gown or outer garment worn by men or women as ceremonial dress, an official vestment, or garb of office.
-
any long, loose garment, especially one for wear while lounging or preparing to dress, as a bathrobe or dressing gown.
-
a woman's gown or dress, especially of a more elaborate kind.
a robe for the evening.
-
robes, apparel in general; dress; costume.
-
a piece of fur, cloth, knitted work, etc., used as a blanket, covering, or wrap.
a buffalo robe; a lap robe.
verb (used with object)
-
robes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
robed,
past participle, past
-
robing
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
robes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
robed,
past participle, past
-
robing
present participle
noun
-
any loose flowing garment, esp the official vestment of a peer, judge, or academic
-
a dressing gown or bathrobe
-
informal a wardrobe
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
robesimple
-
robessimple
-
have robedperfect
-
has robedperfect
-
am robingprogressive
-
are robingprogressive
-
is robingprogressive
-
have been robingperfect progressive
-
has been robingperfect progressive
Past
-
robedsimple
-
had robedperfect
-
was robingprogressive
-
were robingprogressive
-
had been robingperfect progressive
Future
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“I live in a rural town, I don’t have access to European delis,” added Richoux, whose preferred way to enjoy caviar is on a weeknight, in a robe, before taking a bubble bath.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
The artwork introduced tension between Indigenous traditions and Western conventions through the inclusion of Mai’s robe, turban and hand tattoos.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
Fury arrived wearing a designer robe and a large cross chain.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
There’s so much decorum among judges, this infamous brotherhood of the robe, that keeps them from directly criticizing one another.
From Slate ● May 18, 2026
She hands me a robe and tugs the curtain around the bed.
From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish
Chivayo regularly attended the Johane Masowe weChishanu African apostolic church, one of the biggest in Zimbabwe, whose followers can often be seen worshipping outdoors wearing white robes.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
Technicians in robes and hairnets sit at workbenches, polishing, cementing and hand-painting lenses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026
We’ve got all the fancy soaps, deluxe robes and we added a washer and dryer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
A monk draped in burnt-orange robes faces a row of young men and women and tells them they're here on a mission to save their country.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
He spotted the exit and sprinted toward it, but a figure loomed in front of him—a woman in robes of dry swirling earth, her face covered in a veil of dust.
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
Groups of traditional dancers performed, as crowds including red robed monks and nuns watched the ceremony in India's northern hilltown of Dharamshala.
From Barron's ● May 27, 2026
The manosphere’s sobriety is robed in strength and self-actualization, no different than the sleep routine, supplements, and squats that will sculpt the best version of you.
From Slate ● Feb. 15, 2026
Yet she’s also a protein-loading weight-lifting buff who favors all-black outfits and clear opinions, not a robed oracle speaking in riddles.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 9, 2026
Kabawat briefly greets the robed and suited men standing in line to receive her.
From BBC ● Feb. 1, 2026
As for Ted, well, he was pacing the room, all robed up in his black preacher gear—I guess he didn’t do prayers in the hockey jersey—and ready to go.
From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx
The presiding judge in the lawsuit, New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron, was in his robing room when he heard shouting on the floor.
From Salon ● Dec. 14, 2023
In response to the note, the judge questioned the juror in her robing room with lawyers on both side present.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 7, 2022
Over her decade in Baptist youth ministry, Dec. 24 meant prepping sermons at the church, sending out last-minute Christmas emails to her young people, robing up.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 24, 2021
“It’s before the robing room — it’s when I took that oath,” he told the lawmakers.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 5, 2019
Maybe he merely brushed against me as he was robing off the bed.
From "Walk Two Moons" by Sharon Creech
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.
