Abaya

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /əˈbeɪ.jə/

Definitions

1. A loose-fitting outer garment worn by some Muslim women that covers the entire body except for the face, hands, and feet
2. A full-length robe-like covering garment traditionally worn by women in Arab and Muslim cultures that drapes over the body while leaving only the face and hands exposed
3. A flowing black or dark-colored full-length cloak worn primarily by women in Arab and Muslim-majority regions as modest outerwear that conceals the body while leaving the face and hands visible

Etymology: The abaya is a loose, long outer robe, and its name came into English from Arabic "ʕabāya" in the mid-1800s, with the first recorded use dated to 1856. The Arabic word is closely related to the "aba", a coarse woollen cloak, which entered English earlier through a similar route, so the two garments share a common ancestry in the Middle East and North Africa. The English word arrived as a travel and colonial-era term, used by Westerners describing the everyday dress they saw in Arab lands. The garment it names is worn over other clothing, and the word carried its loose, enveloping shape with it into English.