clad

¹ American  

[klad] / klæd /

verb

1. a simple past tense and past participle of clothe.

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adjective

1. dressed.

   ill-clad vagrants.

2. covered.

   vine-clad cottages.

clad ² American  

[klad] / klæd /

verb (used with object)

clad, cladding

1. to bond a metal to (another metal), especially to provide with a protective coat.

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clad- ³ American  

1. variant of clado- before a vowel.

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clad ¹ British  

/ klæd /

verb

1. a past participle of clothe

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clad ² British  

/ klæd /

verb

1. (tr) to bond a metal to (another metal), esp to form a protective coating

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Etymology

Origin of clad¹

before 950; Middle English cladd ( e ), Old English clāthod ( e ) clothed. See clothe, -ed ²

Origin of clad²

First recorded in 1935–40; special use of clad ¹

Explanation

Clad means "dressed or covered." Most kids go to school clad in jeans and t-shirts, but students in the Shakespeare club might show up clad in velvet gowns or leather breeches. As a verb, clad is the past tense and past particle of “clothe,” as in “the leprechaun clad himself in green.” It’s also an adjective that describes being covered or clothed, so a building can be clad in brick, while a person can be clad in head-to-toe sequins. It’s an old-fashioned word, kind of like “shod,” which means “wearing footwear.”

Example Sentences

At the time it was described as being "clad in sustainable timber which, over time, will fade to a silver-grey to blend in with the landscape."

From BBC • Feb. 22, 2026

Footage shows the individual approaching Guthrie's front door, head down, clad in long pants, a zip-up jacket, hat and gloves, and carrying a backpack.

From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026

One Friday afternoon, Villaverde pulled up to the Metro Compton Station on her yellow Urtopia clad in a black helmet and reflective vest.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2026

Somewhere between a yearning for motherhood and a woman’s understandable hesitation about it is where the bulk of O’Hara’s onscreen interpretations lived — confidently, outlandishly, and except for Kate, clad in eccentricity.

From Salon • Feb. 4, 2026

It was a sweet scene, a courtyard filled with students clad in white and blue.

From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana