Vestiment

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A garment or piece of clothing, often elaborate or ceremonial in nature, commonly worn for formal occasions or by members of religious or official groups
2. An article of dress that serves a particular functional or symbolic purpose, especially attire associated with ritual, ceremony, or specific roles
3. Clothing worn to signify status, profession, or participation in a formal or religious event, typically distinguished by style or ornamentation

Etymology: "Vestiment" is a variant of "vestment," the form that came into English through Old French and kept closer to its Latin source. The Latin root is "vestīmentum," meaning a garment or clothing, built from "vestiō," "to clothe," itself tied to "vestis," the general Latin word for clothing or a robe. The spelling "vestiment" was shaped by its Latin etymon, "vestīmentum," which has pulled the word back toward its original form over the centuries. Because of that influence, the variant stays closer to the Latin spelling and sound than the more familiar "vestment" does.

Synonyms: garment, clothing, apparel, attire, vestment