Beclothing

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The act of dressing or adorning oneself or another with garments
2. The process of covering or enveloping the body in fabric or attire
3. The practice of putting clothing on a person or oneself, providing a layer of protection or modesty

Etymology: Old English had a verb for dressing someone in clothing, and English inherited its prefix-and-root pattern from the same Germanic stock that gave Dutch, German and Swedish their equivalents. The Old English form was "beclǣþan" or "beclāþian," meaning to put clothing on or wrap someone about in garments. Over the centuries the native verb "clothe" gained the intensifying prefix "be-," which in English often adds a sense of covering all over, so "beclothe" suggests dressing someone thoroughly rather than just briefly. The verb has a few parallel forms in Middle English, such as "bycladde," meaning dressed or clad, which hints at the older root. Modern English "beclothe" is a fairly uncommon, slightly literary choice, and the sense of covering with garments has stayed remarkably steady from the Old English forms onward.

Synonyms: clothing, dressing, covering

Antonyms: unclothing, undressing