Standard Lemma guide

nightclothes

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈnaɪt.kləʊ(ð)z/
  • General-American: /ˈnaɪt.kloʊ(ð)z/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Clothing worn while sleeping in bed, such as pyjamas or a nightgown, and, when worn over nightclothes, a robe.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: plural, plural-only

Examples

  • The disturbance brought out many of the neighbors in their nightclothes.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bedwear, nightclothes, nightgear, nightwear, sleepingwear, sleepwear

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

garments designed to be worn in bed

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: nightwear, sleepwear

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: clothing, article of clothing, vesture, wear, wearable, habiliment

Narrower terms: nightgown, gown, nightie, night-robe, nightdress, nightshirt, pajama, pyjama, pj's, jammies

History

Etymology

From night + clothes.

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: нощно бельо (noštno beljo) — clothing worn while sleeping
  • Danish: nattøj — clothing worn while sleeping
  • Dutch: nachtgoed — clothing worn while sleeping
  • Finnish: yöpuku — clothing worn while sleeping
  • Finnish: yöasu — clothing worn while sleeping
  • German: Nachtwäsche — clothing worn while sleeping
  • German: Nachtkleidung — clothing worn while sleeping
  • German: Nachtzeug — clothing worn while sleeping
  • German: Kindernachtwäsche — clothing worn while sleeping
  • German: Nachthemden — clothing worn while sleeping
  • Hungarian: hálóruha — clothing worn while sleeping
  • Norwegian Bokmål: nattøy — clothing worn while sleeping
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: nattøy — clothing worn while sleeping
  • Old English: nihtwaru — clothing worn while sleeping
  • Polish: strój do spania — clothing worn while sleeping
  • Spanish: ropa para dormir — clothing worn while sleeping
  • Swedish: nattkläder — clothing worn while sleeping
  • Swedish: sovplagg — clothing worn while sleeping
  • Vietnamese: áo ngủ — clothing worn while sleeping