habiliment

Related to habiliment: malapert

ha·bil·i·ment

(hə-bĭl′ə-mənt)

n. often habiliments

Clothing, especially the clothing associated with a special occasion or office: "shrouded from head to foot in the habiliments of the grave" (Edgar Allan Poe).

[Middle English habilement, from Old French habillement, from habiller, to clothe, alteration (influenced by habit, clothing) of abiller, to prepare, strip a tree of its branches : a-, toward (from Latin ad-; see ad-) + bille, log; see billet².]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

habiliment

(həˈbɪlɪmənt)

(Clothing & Fashion) (often plural) dress or attire

[C15: from Old French habillement, from habiller to dress, from bille log; see billet²]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ha•bil•i•ment

(həˈbɪl ə mənt)

n.

1. Usu., habiliments.

a. clothes or clothing.

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

2. habiliments, accouterments; trappings.

[1375–1425; < Middle French habillement=habill(er), abill(ier) to trim a log, hence, dress, prepare (< Vulgar Latin *adbiliare; see a-⁵, billet²) + -ment -ment]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun

habiliment - a covering designed to be worn on a person's body

article of clothing, clothing, wearable, vesture, wear

accessory, accouterment, accoutrement - clothing that is worn or carried, but not part of your main clothing

apparel, clothes, wearing apparel, dress - clothing in general; "she was refined in her choice of apparel"; "he always bought his clothes at the same store"; "fastidious about his dress"

raiment, regalia, array - especially fine or decorative clothing

attire, garb, dress - clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion; "formal attire"; "battle dress"

beachwear - clothing to be worn at a beach

black - black clothing (worn as a sign of mourning); "the widow wore black"

blue - blue clothing; "she was wearing blue"

change - a different or fresh set of clothes; "she brought a change in her overnight bag"

civilian clothing, civilian dress, civilian garb, plain clothes - ordinary clothing as distinguished from uniforms, work clothes, clerical garb, etc.

consumer goods - goods (as food or clothing) intended for direct use or consumption

covering - an artifact that covers something else (usually to protect or shelter or conceal it)

drag - clothing that is conventionally worn by the opposite sex (especially women's clothing when worn by a man); "he went to the party dressed in drag"; "the waitresses looked like missionaries in drag"

footwear - clothing worn on a person's feet

garment - an article of clothing; "garments of the finest silk"

gray, grey - clothing that is a grey color; "he was dressed in grey"

hand wear, handwear - clothing for the hands

headdress, headgear - clothing for the head

knitwear - knitted clothing

leisure wear - informal clothing designed to be worn when you are relaxing

loungewear - clothing suitable for relaxation

man's clothing - clothing that is designed for men to wear

neckpiece - an article of apparel worn about the neck

nightclothes, nightwear, sleepwear - garments designed to be worn in bed

outerwear, overclothes - clothing for use outdoors

protective garment - clothing that is intended to protect the wearer from injury

ready-to-wear - ready-made clothing; "she couldn't find anything in ready-to-wear that she liked"

slip-on - an article of clothing (garment or shoe) that is easily slipped on or off

slops - cheap clothing (as formerly issued to sailors in Britain)

street clothes - ordinary clothing suitable for public appearances (as opposed to costumes or sports apparel or work clothes etc.)

tailor-made - custom-made clothing

duds, threads, togs - informal terms for clothing

uniform - clothing of distinctive design worn by members of a particular group as a means of identification

vestiture - an archaic term for clothing

wardrobe - collection of clothing belonging to one person

woman's clothing - clothing that is designed for women to wear

work-clothes, work-clothing - clothing worn for doing manual labor

habiliment

noun

1. A set or style of clothing.Often used in plural:

costume, dress, garb, guise, outfit, turnout.

Informal: getup, rig.

2. Articles worn to cover the body.Often used in plural:

apparel, attire, clothes, clothing, dress, garment (used in plural), raiment.

Informal: dud (used in plural), tog (used in plural).

Slang: thread (used in plural).

References in classic literature ?

"And now as to your natural question as to what brings me to Earth again and in this, to earthly eyes, strange habiliment. We may thank Kar Komak, the bowman of Lothar.

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"Child of levity and scoffing," replied the other; "you err again, misled by these humble habiliments. I am the Rev.

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Bananas with their great ragged leaves, like the tattered habiliments of an empress in adversity, grew close up to the house.

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But this was the way this system of abnegation was paid for: instead of wearing such mean habiliments as his paternal fortunes entitled him to, he was able to appear brilliant, superb, like a young noble of fifty thousand livres a year.

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He wore his usual working habiliments, consisting of varipatched trousers, a blue jean shirt, out at the elbows, and a ragged straw hat.

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At the head of the notables and of the Horticultural Committee shone Mynheer van Systens, dressed in his richest habiliments.

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It was the body of an old man, gorgeously arrayed in the habiliments of a rajah, wearing, as in life, a turban embroidered with pearls, a robe of tissue of silk and gold, a scarf of cashmere sewed with diamonds, and the magnificent weapons of a Hindoo prince.

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The figure was tall and gaunt, and shrouded from head to foot in the habiliments of the grave.

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She therefore replied by glancing over her scant habiliments; but Clare gently urged her.

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Philip passed his hand over the picture as if he wanted to feel the houses and the loose habiliments of the nomads.

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Sophia could have no possible suspicion of any falsehood in this account: she therefore mounted resolutely behind the fellow, who conveyed her safe to a town about five miles distant, where she had the satisfaction of finding the good Mrs Honour: for, as the soul of the waiting-woman was wrapt up in those very habiliments which used to enwrap her body, she could by no means bring herself to trust them out of her sight.

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"Well, be quick some of you, that's all," said the great man, as he turned out of bed, and putting on his slippers, went out into the great passage, which runs the whole length of the bedrooms, to get his Sunday habiliments out of his portmanteau.