Outfit

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈaʊtfɪt/

Definitions

1. A combination of garments and accessories selected for a particular situation or event
2. A cohesive selection of clothing items and additional decorative pieces worn to achieve a desired look
3. A group or team organized for a specific purpose, such as a business, expedition, or military unit

Etymology: The word "outfit" began as a verb in the sense of equipping someone for a task, and the noun came later. The verb is built from "out" and "fit," the older "fit out" meaning to supply or furnish a person or thing with what is needed, whether that is provisions for a voyage or clothing for a journey. Only afterwards did the compound "out-fit" emerge as a variant spelling, and the noun sense of a set of equipment, and eventually a coordinated set of clothes, grew from there. Its modern senses, a group of people working together and a complete set of clothing, both follow from that original idea of supplying everything needed for a purpose. A team or company was once thought of as a fully equipped unit, and an ensemble of garments as the complete gear for an occasion. The word's parts are plain English, so the history is a straightforward compound rather than a borrowing.

Synonyms: clothing, attire, ensemble, garb, costume

Antonyms: nudity