gown

noun

ˈgau̇n How to pronounce gown (audio)
Synonyms of gownnext
1
a
: a usually long and formal woman's dress
a wedding gown
b
: a distinctive robe worn by a professional or academic person
a graduation gown
c
: a distinctive long outer garment worn by a member of the clergy
d
: a loose flowing outer garment worn formerly by men
e(1)
: dressing gown
(2)
: nightgown
f
: 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

Synonyms of gown

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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But Hearts of Darkness didn’t have anywhere as many macarons, pugs or frothy silk-satin gowns as Making Marie Antoinette does, so who knows which one future generations will watch more? — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2026 Amal Clooney stunned in a red gown, as did Oscar-winner Chloé Zhao, fresh off delivering a master class on the Lido, went from table to table chatting with guests as dinner was served. — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 5 Sep. 2026 Heidi shows up to reveal the challenge wearing a vintage Christian Siriano bridal gown. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026 The couple’s dogs, Peaches and Mousse, were outfitted in Oscar de la Renta dog bows made of the same silk faille as Claudia’s ceremony gown. — Liam Hess, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gown

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 1c

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

Phrases Containing gown

Rhymes for gown

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Browse Nearby Words

gowl
gown
gown boy
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gown.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gown. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

gown

noun
ˈgau̇n How to pronounce gown (audio)
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

Medical Definition

gown

noun
ˈgau̇n How to pronounce gown (audio)
: a garment designed to be worn by health care professionals or patients: such as
a
: a sterile one-piece coverall worn by health care personnel especially during a medical procedure to prevent the dispersal of bodily fluids or infectious material : surgical gown
b
: a loose robe that is usually open in the back and is worn by patients in a medical facility (such as a hospital) : hospital gown
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