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Definition of dress

dress

/drɛs/
dress

Plural:dresses
•
Adjective:dressy
•
Past Simple:dressed
•
Past Participle:dressed
•
Present Participle:dressing
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dress Lexical Profile

dress Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A one-piece garment consisting of a skirt and an attached bodice, typically worn by women and girls.

Example

"She bought a beautiful silk dress to wear to the summer wedding."


2

Clothing or apparel of a specified kind, style, or for a particular occasion.

Example

"The invitation stated that formal dress was required for the evening gala."

Synonyms
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• verb

1

To put clothes on oneself or someone else.

Example

"He dressed quickly in the morning before rushing to catch the train to work."


2

To prepare food for cooking or eating (such as cleaning poultry or adding sauce to a salad).

Example

"The chef demonstrated how to perfectly dress a salad with a light vinaigrette."


3

To clean, treat, and apply a bandage to a medical wound.

Example

"The emergency room nurse carefully cleaned and dressed the patient's laceration."

Synonyms
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• Rhymes for dress

Word Origin & Etymology

From Middle English 'dressen', borrowed from Old French 'dresser' (to arrange, direct, prepare), from Vulgar Latin 'directiare', derived from Latin 'directus' (straight, direct).

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Dress. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/dress
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