Meanings
plural gowns
- A loose, flowing upper garment.
- A woman's ordinary outer dress, such as a calico or silk gown.
- The official robe of certain professionals, clerics, and scholars, such as university students and officers, barristers, judges, etc.
VVhat is he an honeſt man? the deuill he is, he is the Parſon of the Towne, You thinke ther’s no knauerie hid vnder a black gowne, […]
1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […], →OCLC, Act I- The dress of civil officers, as opposed to military officers.
- metonymicallyThe university community, especially as contrasted with the local populace.
In the perennial town versus gown battles, townies win some violent battles, but the collegians are winning the war.
- A loose wrapper worn by gentlemen within doors; a dressing gown.
- Any sort of dress or garb.
- The robe worn by a surgeon.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounlingerie consisting of a loose dress designed to be worn in bed by women
nounouterwear consisting of a long flowing garment used for official or ceremonial occasions
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Slavic*guna
- Late Latingunna
- Old Frenchgoune
- Middle Englishgowne
- Englishgown
From Middle English gowne, from Anglo-Norman goune, gune (“fur-trimmed coat, pelisse”), from Old French goune, from Late Latin gunna (“leather garment, a fur”). Cognate with Manx gooyn, Irish gúna.
More words from Middle English, Anglo-Norman, Old French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek πέπλος
- πέπλος (péplos)woman's dress
Arabic رِدَاء
- رِدَاء (ridāʔ)loose, flowing upper garment
Bulgarian мантия, рокля
- мантия (mantija)loose, flowing upper garment
- рокля (roklja)woman's dress
- тога (toga)official robe
Chinese Mandarin 長袍 /长袍, 罩衣
- 長袍 /长袍 (chángpáo)loose, flowing upper garment
- 罩衣 (zhàoyī)loose, flowing upper garment
Czech šaty, talár
- šatywoman's dress
- talárofficial robe
Danish kjole, dragt
- kjolewoman's dress
- dragtwoman's dress
Dutch japon, kleed
- japonwoman's dress
- kleedwoman's dress
- togaofficial robe
Finnish kaapu, leninki
- kaapuloose, flowing upper garment
- leninkiwoman's dress
- kaapuofficial robe
French robe, toge
- robewoman's dress
- togeofficial robe
- robeofficial robe
German Umhang, Umwurf
- Umhangloose, flowing upper garment
- Umwurfloose, flowing upper garment
- Überwurfloose, flowing upper garment
- Kleidwoman's dress
- Abendkleidwoman's dress
- Robeofficial robe
- Talarofficial robe
Hebrew כֻּתֹּנֶת
- כֻּתֹּנֶת (kutónet)loose, flowing upper garment
Hungarian köntös, estélyi
- köntösloose, flowing upper garment
- estélyiwoman's dress
- talárofficial robe
Irish gúna, gúna
- gúnawoman's dress
- gúnaofficial robe
Italian tunica, toga
- tunicawoman's dress
- togaofficial robe
Latin stola, cyclas
- stolawoman's dress
- cyclaswoman's dress
- abollaofficial robe
Malay gaun
- gaunwoman's dress
Māori kāone
- kāonewoman's dress
Portuguese vestido, beca
- vestidowoman's dress
- becaofficial robe
Punjabi ਗਾਊਨ
- ਗਾਊਨ (gāūna)woman's dress
Russian наки́дка, пла́тье
- наки́дка (nakídka)loose, flowing upper garment
- пла́тье (plátʹje)woman's dress
- ма́нтия (mántija)official robe
- пла́тье (plátʹje)official robe
Scottish Gaelic gùn
- gùnwoman's dress
Spanish manto, capa
- mantoloose, flowing upper garment
- capaloose, flowing upper garment
- túnicawoman's dress
- vestidowoman's dress
- togaofficial robe
- talarofficial robe
Swahili gauni
- gauniwoman's dress
Swedish klänning, dräkt
- klänningwoman's dress
- dräktwoman's dress
- kappaofficial robe
Thai เสื้อคลุม, เสื้อคลุม
- เสื้อคลุม (sʉ̂ʉa-klum)loose, flowing upper garment
- เสื้อคลุม (sʉ̂ʉa-klum)woman's dress
- เสื้อคลุม (sʉ̂ʉa-klum)official robe
Welsh gwisg, gown
- gwisgwoman's dress
- gownwoman's dress
- gowniauwoman's dress
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with gown
Anagrams
Cite this entry
gown. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gown
“gown.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gown. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gown,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gown.
Source: gown on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.