separate
n. countablen. an item of clothing, like a shirt or a pair of pants, that you can mix and match with other pieces. You usually buy these one at a time rather than as a full suit.
n. an individual garment that is sold independently rather than as part of a coordinated set or suit. Often used in the plural to refer to a collection of such items designed to be worn together in various combinations.
She bought several separates to wear for her new office job.
The boutique specializes in high-quality separates that allow customers to build a professional wardrobe without buying expensive suits.
By investing in versatile separates like tailored trousers and silk blouses, one can create a multitude of distinct outfits suitable for both formal and casual environments.
From Middle English separaten (“to separate”), from separat (“separated”) + -en, from Latin sēparātus, perfect passive participle of sēparō (“to separate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from sē- (“apart”) + parō (“prepare”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“produce, procure, bring forward, bring forth”). Displaced Middle English scheden, from Old English scēadan (whence English shed). Doublet of sever, also derived from the same Latin verb.
From Middle English separat, see -ate (“adjective-forming suffix”) and Etymology 1 for more.
From a substantivization of the above adjective, see -ate (“noun-forming suffix”) and Etymology 1 for more.
Frequently used in the plural form ('separates') within the context of the fashion and retail industries.