dress

Pronunciation: /dɹɛs/

Reading level: medium

Estimated CEFR level: A2 — Elementary

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a one-piece garment for a woman; has skirt and bodice
  2. noun clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion
  3. noun clothing in general

Etymology

PIE word *dwís The verb is from Middle English dressen, dresse (“to arrange, put in order”), from Anglo-Norman, Old French dresser, drecier (modern French dresser), from Late Latin *dīrēctiāre (“to guide, direct”), from Classical Latin dīrēctus, whence English direct. Further akin to Latin regō. The noun is derived from the verb. Compare typologically adorn (<< Latin ōrnō < ōrdō, whence also ōrdinō, English order, ornament); Russian наряжа́ть (narjažátʹ), наря́д (narjád) (akin to ряд (rjad), поря́док (porjádok)).

In classic literature

Synonyms

frock

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
woman's clothing
Narrower (hyponyms)
morning dress, sundress, gown, mother hubbard, sari, shirtdress

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