robe
Americannoun
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robes
plural
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a long, loose or flowing gown or outer garment worn by men or women as ceremonial dress, an official vestment, or garb of office.
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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.
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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)
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robes,
present (3rd person singular)
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robed,
past participle, past
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robing
present participle
verb (used without object)
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robes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
robed,
past participle, past
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robing
present participle
noun
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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
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robesimple
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robessimple
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have robedperfect
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has robedperfect
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am robingprogressive
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are robingprogressive
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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:
As he stood in his traditional full-length black robe outside his church, a man paused to clear his nose next to him.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
While she wore a white robe and slippers, Jake wore a black Under Armour top and shorts with white trainers.
From BBC ● May 19, 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
Modeled after a monk’s robe and a nun’s habit, Holmes combined Christian inspiration with the miniskirt trend, which some people found fun, while others labeled it offensive.
From Salon ● May 17, 2026
One was wearing a deep blue robe she recognized.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
We’ve got all the fancy soaps, deluxe robes and we added a washer and dryer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
Competition is fierce for professional photographers at Beijing's tourist hotspots, including a scenic lake where women in flowy traditional robes pose for snaps to share on Xiaohongshu, China's massively popular lifestyle app.
From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026
So back to this Thursday, and I am surrounded by other happy honorees in a bubbling brew of crimson robes and black caps.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
Soon after the monarch had changed out of his Imperial State Crown and robes, and returned to Buckingham Palace via carriage, Rayner met the Guardian journalist Pippa Crerar in central London.
From BBC ● May 15, 2026
At their backs rose a perpendicular wall of rock, and Perrault and François were compelled to make their fire and spread their sleeping robes on the ice of the lake itself.
From "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London
The Statue of Liberty, the copper-clad sculpture of a robed and crowned woman holding a torch above her head, sits in New York's harbor and draws millions of visitors each year.
From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 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
The gavel has been sounded as the nine robed justices of the Supreme Court enter the courtroom and take their respective seats.
From BBC ● Apr. 25, 2024
"Come in, my daughter, come in," the robed and bearded man was saying, and then "Come in, my son" as Shasta panted up to him.
From "The Horse and His Boy" by C.S. Lewis
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
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 fair for people here to test that robing room rule,” Mr. Whitehouse said.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 5, 2019
Justices Samuel Alito and Elena Kagan have taken to waiting until Ginsburg exits because she otherwise would be left by herself as she makes her way to the justices’ robing room.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 27, 2018
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.
