Word
garment
Phoneticsgar·ment, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɡɑɹmənt/
UK/ɡˈɑːmənt/
Definitions
01item of clothing
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Formal
n. a single piece of clothing.
n. an individual item of apparel or clothing. Often used in technical contexts like manufacturing or formal descriptions.
“The shop sells high-quality silk garments at a very high price.”
“The factory produces thousands of finished garments every day, which are then shipped to retailers across the continent.”
Usage
Usually a countable noun; you can talk about 'a garment' or 'many garments'.
02an outer covering
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Literary
n. the outside layer of something that covers it like clothes.
n. the visible exterior or covering in which an abstract idea or object is invested or embodied.
“The hills were covered in a green garment of fresh grass.”
“The poet described the city as being wrapped in a garment of mist, hiding the harsh reality of the industrial streets.”
Teaching tip
This is a highly metaphorical use found mostly in poetry and older literature.
03to clothe
C2 · Proficiency Literary · Archaic
v. to dress someone in a particular way.
v. to clothe or invest someone in a specific garment or style of dress. Transitive — requires a direct object.
“The king was garmented in the finest purple robes for his crowning.”
“The statues were garmented in heavy velvet for the winter festival, creating a strange and solemn atmosphere in the square.”
Real-World Examples
“Fast fashion is built on cheap, short-lived garments, especially cotton and polyester T-shirts.” “Xu took to a stage in Guangdong, home to many of China's garment factories, to re-affirm his company's ties to Beijing.” Etymology
From Middle English garment, garement, garnement, from Old French garnement, guarnement, from Old French garnir, guarnir (“to protect, fortify, clothe, garnish, adorn”), from Frankish *warnijan (“to ward off, refuse, deny”). More at English garnish.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/garment