Overdresses

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. A type of garment that is worn over other clothing, often intended for formal occasions or layering
2. An outfit that adds an additional layer, enhancing style or formality for specific events
3. Clothing designed to be worn on top of existing attire, frequently used to elevate an ensemble or provide warmth

Etymology: "Overdress" is a plain compound: the prefix "over-", meaning excessively or beyond what is proper, attached to "dress". The verb therefore means to dress with too much finery or formality for the occasion, and the noun names the result. Note that the same prefix in "overeat" or "overcook" carries the same sense of going past the right amount. "Overdresses" is simply the third-person singular present form of the verb, so it says that someone dresses too formally, as in "she overdresses for every dinner party." Its underlying verb is "dress", which the source traces back through Old French "drecier" and Latin "dīrēctiāre", a root meaning to make straight or arrange, which is why dressing once meant setting things in order before the fine clothing sense took over.

Synonyms: overclothes, overrobes, overlayers

Antonyms: underdresses, underclothes