Begowned

/bɪˈɡaʊnd/ adjective

Definition

Dressed in or wearing a gown; clothed in formal or ceremonial dress.

Etymology

From be- + gown + -ed (past participle/adjective suffix). Gown comes from Old Norse gúnn and Old Occitan goana, ultimately from Latin gunna. The be- prefix means 'dressed in' or 'covered with.'

Kelly Says

This adjective shows how the be- prefix could transform any noun into an adjective meaning 'dressed in' or 'covered with'—Victorian writers loved this, creating descriptions like 'begowned ladies' and 'begloved hands' to paint elaborate pictures of fashionable dress.

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