gown
Other forms: gowns; gowned; gowning
A gown is a formal dress. When your date to a party or dance is wearing a tuxedo, you'll probably want to wear a gown.
There are many different kinds of gowns, including ball gowns, wedding gowns, and evening gowns. All of them are worn primarily by women on formal occasions. It was once common to call any one-piece woman's garment a gown, while now it's more often called a dress. The source of gown is the Old French goune, "robe, coat, or down," with the Latin root gunna, "hide or skin."
Definitions of gown
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a woman's dress, usually with a close-fitting bodice and a long flared skirt, often worn on formal occasions
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types:
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ball gown
the most formal gown; worn to a ball
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bridal gown, wedding dress, wedding gown
a gown worn by the bride at a wedding
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dinner dress, dinner gown, evening gown, formal
a gown for evening wear
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mantua
loose gown of the 17th and 18th centuries
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tea gown
a long loose-fitting gown formerly popular for wear at afternoon tea
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lingerie consisting of a loose dress designed to be worn in bed by women
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synonyms:
night-robe, nightdress, nightgown, nightie
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type of:
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intimate apparel, lingerie
women's underwear and nightclothes
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nightclothes, nightwear, sleepwear
garments designed to be worn in bed
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intimate apparel, lingerie
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protective garment worn by surgeons during operations
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synonyms:
scrubs, surgical gown
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type of:
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garment
an article of clothing
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garment
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outerwear consisting of a long flowing garment used for official or ceremonial occasions
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synonyms:
robe
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types:
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academic gown, academic robe, judge's robe
a gown worn by academics or judges
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vestment
gown (especially ceremonial garments) worn by the clergy
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alb
a white linen liturgical vestment with sleeves; worn by priests
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cassock
a black garment reaching down to the ankles; worn by priests or choristers
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chasuble
a long sleeveless vestment worn by a priest when celebrating Mass
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Geneva gown
black academic gown widely used by Protestant clergymen
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humeral veil, veil
a vestment worn by a priest at High Mass in the Roman Catholic Church; a silk shawl
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pallium
(Roman Catholic Church) vestment consisting of a band encircling the shoulders with two lappets hanging in front and back
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pontifical
the vestments and other insignia of a pontiff (especially a bishop)
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surplice
a loose-fitting white ecclesiastical vestment with wide sleeves
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type of:
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outerwear, overclothes
clothing for use outdoors
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dress in a gown
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the members of a university as distinguished from the other residents of the town in which the university is located“the relations between town and gown are always sensitive”
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type of:
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university
the body of faculty and students at a university
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university
Pronunciation
US
/gaʊn/
UK
/gaʊn/
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