noun
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clothes, esp the distinctive attire of an occupation or profession
clerical garb
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style of dress; fashion
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external appearance, covering, or attire
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of garb
1585–95; < Middle French garbe graceful outline < Old Italian garbo grace < Germanic; compare Old High German garawen, Old English gearwian to prepare, adorn ( see gar 2), gear
Explanation
Your garb is what you are wearing — your clothing. You may choose the garb of an auto mechanic, even though you don’t know the difference between a carburetor and a catalytic converter, just because you like the look. Within your closet, you probably have the garb of a student — casual clothes that are just right for school — along with the more formal garb you are expected to wear for holidays at your grandmother's house or when giving a speech. When you usually see your buddy, the Marine, in his military garb, it might catch you by surprise when you see him flopped on his couch in the garb of a lazy lounger.
Vocabulary lists containing garb
100 SAT Words Beginning with "G"
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Vocabulary from the First Presidential Debate: September 26, 2016
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"The Devil and Tom Walker" by Washington Irving
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Some of the most striking photographs from the exhibition are black-and-white images of Saar in North African garb by Carol A. Beers.
From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026
The latter told NYT he might need to shop for more orange garb as he preps for the “Jeopardy!”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026
He wore everyday outfits instead of suits and sometimes took the podium dressed in traditional Hungarian garb.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026
Daedone, who wore tan jail garb and leg shackles, looked serene throughout the proceeding.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026
And were face to face with a semi-transparent guy in medieval garb with a fur-trimmed cap and a beard that looked like two raccoon tails sewn together under his nose and chin.
From "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" by Chris Grabenstein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
