Clothing

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkləʊðɪŋ/

Definitions

1. Apparel designed to cover and shield the body from various conditions while also serving aesthetic and functional purposes
2. Items worn on the body to protect, adorn, or provide comfort during daily activities
3. Garments that serve to cover and decorate the human body for practical or stylish use

Etymology: The most surprising thing about "clothing" is how plain it is: it is simply "clothe" with the suffix "-ing" attached, a formation that English speakers have used for centuries to turn a verb into a noun for the thing or material involved. Its ancestor was the Old English "clāþung", which came from a Proto-West Germanic form that also gave rise to the German "Kleidung" and the Dutch "kleding", so the same word sits at the heart of several modern languages. Its own family tree is tangled too. English shares it with Scots "claithing" and the related "cleading", which survives in dialect as a near doublet, meaning the two words came down through the language along different paths from one common source. The "cladding" of modern buildings, a word for an outer covering, is a close relative in this family.

Synonyms: apparel, garments, attire, wear, dress

Antonyms: nudity