tabard

American  

[tab-erd] / ˈtæb ərd /

noun

1. a loose outer garment, sleeveless or with short sleeves, especially one worn by a knight over his armor and usually emblazoned with his arms.

2. an official garment of a herald, emblazoned with the arms of his master.

3. a coarse, heavy, short coat, with or without sleeves, formerly worn outdoors.

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tabard British  

/ ˈtæbəd /

noun

1. a sleeveless or short-sleeved jacket, esp one worn by a herald, bearing a coat of arms, or by a knight over his armour

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Other Word Forms

• tabarded adjective

Etymology

Origin of tabard

1250–1300; Middle English < Old French tabart

Explanation

In the Middle Ages, men often wore a tabard, a short, sleeveless coat similar to a jerkin. Put on your tabard and tights, it's time for the Renaissance Faire! Tabards started out as modest dress, worn by monks and peasants starting in the 14th century. A hundred years later, knights began sporting belted tabards that were open at the sides and frequently emblazoned with a coat of arms. Today, an apron-like garment commonly worn by cleaners, caterers, and healthcare workers is sometimes also called a tabard. The famous starting place of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales was the Tabard Inn in London.

Example Sentences

He has also donned the red tabard worn by Big Issue vendors to sell the magazines in the capital.

From BBC • Jun. 18, 2023

The prodigious output of those kitchens contributed to the Prince’s obesity, flatteringly disguised in the embroidered tabard and ermine-lined cape that he wore for his official coronation portrait, executed by Thomas Lawrence, in 1821.

From The New Yorker • Jan. 10, 2020

Because there is this long vertical tabard down the center front, I felt like it needs to have some type of purpose.

From Slate • Feb. 9, 2018

The man in the crocheted top and hooded tabard outside Skylight Studios in New York’s West Village is mournful.

From The Guardian • Jul. 17, 2015

Ser Flement Brax wore a silver-and-purple tabard and the look of a man who cannot comprehend what he has just heard.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin