Standard Lemma guide

vestment

noun · 5 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.

  • /ˈvɛstmənt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: V EH1 S T M EH0 N T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A robe, gown, or other article of clothing worn as an indication of office.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The priest wore a white vestment during the ceremony.
  • Medieval paintings often depict bishops in ornate vestments.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Any of the special articles of clothing worn by members of the clergy etc., especially a garment worn at the celebration of the Eucharist.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • liturgical vestment
  • ceremonial vestment
  • ecclesiastical vestment

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Clothing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: plural, plural-only

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: vestiary

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

An article of clothing, especially an outer garment.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

gown (especially ceremonial garments) worn by the clergy

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: gown, robe

Narrower terms: alb, cassock, chasuble, humeral veil, veil, pallium, pontifical, surplice

History

Etymology

From Middle English vestement, vestment, from Old French vestement, from Latin vestīmentum. By surface analysis, vest + -ment. Compare French vêtement.

Across languages

Translations

13 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: roucho — robe worn by members of the clergy
  • Czech: háv — robe worn by members of the clergy
  • Czech: oděv — robe worn by members of the clergy
  • Georgian: სამოსელი (samoseli) — robe worn by members of the clergy
  • German: Ornat — robe worn by members of the clergy
  • Greek: άμφιο (ámfio) — robe worn by members of the clergy
  • Hungarian: ornátus — robe worn by members of the clergy
  • Hungarian: miseruha — robe worn by members of the clergy
  • Irish: éide — robe worn by members of the clergy
  • Irish: brat altóra — robe worn by members of the clergy
  • Macedonian: о́дежда (ódežda) — robe worn by members of the clergy
  • Polish: ornat — robe worn by members of the clergy
  • Russian: облаче́ние (oblačénije) — robe worn by members of the clergy