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Added 10 October 2026

robe

/ɹəʊb/ noun

In Latin: trabea, peplum, palla Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about robe at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A long loose outer garment, often signifying honorary stature.
The skin of an animal, especially the bison, dressed with the fur on, and used as a wrap.
A wardrobe, especially one built into a bedroom.

verb

To clothe; to dress.
robed in glory
To put on official vestments.

Origin

From Middle English robe, roobe, from Old French robe, robbe, reube (“booty, spoils of war, robe, garment”), from Frankish *rouba, *rauba (“booty, spoils, stolen clothes”, literally “things taken”), from Proto-Germanic *raubō, *raubaz, *raubą (“booty, that which is stripped or carried away”), from Proto-Indo-European *Hrewp- (“to tear, peel”). cognates and related terms Akin to Old High German roup (“booty”) (Modern German Raub (“robbery, spoils”)), Old High German roubōn (“to rob, steal”) (Modern German rauben (“to rob”)), Old English rēaf (“spoils, booty, dress, armour, robe, garment”), Old English rēafian (“to steal, deprive”). Cognate with Spanish ropa (“clothing, clothes”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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