robe

 
Pronunciation: /rəʊb/

noun

  • 1a long, loose outer garment reaching to the ankles: a young man in a fez and ragged robe a baby in christening robes
  • (often robes) a robe worn, especially on formal or ceremonial occasions, as an indication of the wearer’s rank, office, or profession: he was dressed in his archbishop’s robes after some function
  • a dressing gown or bathrobe: he was clad in a short towelling robe
  • 2North American a lap robe.

verb

[with object] (usually as adjective robed)
  • clothe in a robe: a circle of robed figures [in combination]: a white-robed Bedouin
  • [no object] put on robes, especially for a formal or ceremonial occasion: I went into the vestry and robed for the Mass

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French, from the Germanic base (in the sense 'booty') of rob (because clothing was an important component of booty)