Clad

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /klæd/

Definitions

1. Garbed in a designated fabric or attire that provides protection or decorates the body
2. Having clothing or other coverings on the body ; covered or coated with a protective or decorative layer
3. Being dressed in garments or coverings ; enveloped or enclosed in a surface layer of substance

Etymology: The past tense and past participle of "clothe" was, for centuries, "clad" itself. Old English "clǣþan" ("to clothe") gave Middle English "clethen," and its past forms "clad" and "cladde" simply became the standard way to say someone was dressed. The verb's roots go back to a Proto-Indo-European sense of "to adhere, cling, stick to," which suggests that clothing was first thought of as something that sticks to the body. Over time "clad" also became a free-standing adjective, and it has kept the older verb's flexibility. It is used for people wrapped in garments, but also for things given a protective or decorative covering, such as a steel-clad ship or a brick-clad building. Speakers today often treat "clad" as an adjective without noticing that it is still, underneath, the old past participle of the verb.

Synonyms: dressed, covered

Antonyms: unclad