1
a
: a loose flowing outer garment formerly worn by men
b
: a distinctive robe worn by a professional or academic person
c
: a woman's dress
d(1)
(2)
e
: a coverall worn in an operating room
2
: the body of students and faculty of a college or university
rivalry between town and gown
gown transitive verb

Examples of gown in a Sentence

The bride wore a lovely lace wedding gown. a shopping trip for the express purpose of finding the perfect gown for the wedding
Recent Examples on the Web Philip Abel Adama in profile in black graduation cap and gown, with pillars of MIT building in background. Kajsa Kedefors, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Sep. 2023 For the majority of the set, Ballerini wsa seen wearing a white floor-length gown. Hanna Lustig, Glamour, 13 Sep. 2023 The rapper co-hosted the preshow, wearing another look, including a sparkly Area gown with bone accents that reminded many Twitter users of The Flintstones. Gabi Thorne, Allure, 13 Sep. 2023 Tonight, rapper Cardi B certainly kept this fashion mood alive with her own red carpet ensemble: The star chose a sculptural gown that was made out of hundreds of silver hair clips. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 12 Sep. 2023 The wedding looked intimate and Elise wore a stunning gown with her hair pinned up in curls. Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 11 Sep. 2023 The model wore a form-fitting black gown while Doncic opted for a sleek blue suit. Jessica Sager, Peoplemag, 1 Sep. 2023 Holly Waddington’s costumes are another knockout, most of all Bella’s gowns, with sculptural sleeves and skirts that can evoke geometrical constructions or organic forms like flowers or coral. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Sep. 2023 In July 2022, Pugh shared photos of herself wearing a Valentino gown to the designer’s haute couture show. Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 31 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gown.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French gune, goune, from Late Latin gunna, a fur or leather garment

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of gown was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near gown

Cite this Entry

“Gown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gown. Accessed 24 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

gown

noun
1
: an official robe worn especially by a judge, a member of the clergy, or a teacher
2
: a woman's dress
especially : one suitable for afternoon or evening wear
3
: a loose robe (as a dressing gown or a nightgown)
gown verb
gowned
ˈgau̇nd
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on gown

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