Clothing or dress, especially fine or formal garments. Can also be used as a verb meaning to dress or clothe.
From Old French 'atirer,' meaning 'to arrange,' from 'a-' plus 'tire' (arrange). The word evolved from meaning 'to prepare' to specifically 'to dress oneself' by the 14th century.
The word 'attire' reveals how clothing was historically viewed as an art of arrangement rather than mere covering! Medieval courtiers spent hours 'attiring' themselves, as proper dress required skill in layering, pinning, and arranging complex garments that could communicate social status at a glance.
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