apparel

apparel — noun

1. items of clothing of a specific kind that are offered for sale, especially as a

1.nounC1
Definition

items of clothing of a specific kind that are offered for sale, especially as a category in shops or business reports.

Example

The store opened a new section for children's apparel near the main entrance.

noun phrase: [type] + apparel as a retail category

Online sales of women's apparel rose sharply in Taiwan last quarter.

collocation: women's / men's / children's apparel

Common collocations
  • men's apparel
  • women's apparel
  • children's apparel
  • sports apparel
  • outdoor apparel
  • athletic apparel
Synonyms
  • clothing

    everyday neutral word; covers the same idea without sounding commercial

  • garments

    formal; focuses on individual pieces rather than a sales category

  • merchandise

    broader; covers any goods for sale, not only clothes

Grammar Patterns

[type] + apparel

Usage Note

Almost always uncountable and modified by a noun describing the type of buyer or activity (men's, sports, outdoor). Distinguish from sense 2: this sense names a product category, not the actual clothes a person is wearing.

Common Mistakes

I bought three apparels yesterday.
I bought three pieces of apparel yesterday.
apparel is uncountable; do not add an -s plural.
She wore a beautiful apparel to the party.
She wore beautiful clothes to the party.
for what someone is actually wearing, use 'clothes'; 'apparel' here sounds wrong because it usually names a retail category.

2. the clothes someone is actually wearing, often viewed as a sign of status, role,

2.nounC1
Definition

the clothes someone is actually wearing, often viewed as a sign of status, role, or the importance of an occasion.

Example

The judges arrived at the courtroom in their full ceremonial apparel.

pattern: in + adjective + apparel for formal occasions

Guests at the wedding wore traditional Japanese apparel for the tea ceremony.

collocation: traditional / ceremonial apparel

Common collocations
  • ceremonial apparel
  • traditional apparel
  • royal apparel
  • in white apparel
  • formal apparel
Synonyms
  • attire

    very close in meaning; both formal, often used for special occasions

  • garb

    literary; suggests clothes that mark a role, like a soldier or monk

  • dress

    as a non-count noun (formal dress); narrower because it usually means a complete outfit

Grammar Patterns

in [adjective] apparel

Usage Note

Object usually carries a status or ritual meaning (ceremonial, royal, traditional). Distinguish from sense 1: this sense talks about clothes a specific person is wearing right now, not a product category in a shop.

Common Mistakes

I wear casual apparel at home.
I wear casual clothes at home.
for everyday talk, use 'clothes'; 'apparel' sounds too formal for a casual home setting.

apparel — verb

Word family

  • apparelled
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words name things people wear, but they fit different settings. 'Clothes' is the everyday word — what you put on each morning, what is in your wardrobe. 'Clothing' is slightly more formal and works well for general or commercial uses, like 'protective clothing' or 'a clothing brand'. 'Apparel' sits even higher on the formality scale and is most common in retail, business, or news writing: a shop will advertise 'men's apparel' rather than 'men's clothes'. 'Garments' focuses on individual pieces, often in fashion or factory contexts ('the factory makes 5,000 garments a day'). 'Attire' is closest to noun sense 2 of apparel — what someone is wearing for a special occasion ('formal attire required'). So: choose 'clothes' for daily life, 'apparel' for shop signs and reports, 'garments' for industry talk, and 'attire' when you describe how someone is dressed for an event.

clothing ↗clothes ↗garmentsattire

Common collocations

Nouns

  • men's apparel
  • women's apparel
  • sports apparel
  • outdoor apparel
  • ceremonial apparel

Adverbs

  • richly (apparelled)

Phrases

  • apparel industry
  • apparel brand
  • apparel store

Prepositions

  • in (apparel)
  • with (apparel verb)

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word came into English in the 1200s from Old French 'apareil', meaning 'preparation' or 'equipment', which itself goes back to Latin 'ad-' (to) plus 'par' (equal) — the underlying idea being to make things ready or to fit them together. Early English used 'apparel' for any kind of equipment, including a ship's sails and rigging, but over time it narrowed mainly to clothing, especially clothing chosen for a particular role or occasion. The verb 'to apparel' (to dress someone) and the modern retail noun (men's apparel, sports apparel) both grew out of this older sense of 'fitting someone or something out'.