Past tense of 'don'; to put on or dress in clothing, especially formal or special attire.
From Old English 'don,' meaning 'to do' or 'to put,' contracting over time to specifically mean 'to put on' clothing. Opposite of 'doff' (to remove), both archaic terms still used in formal contexts.
Shakespeare used 'don' regularly, and it's still used in formal writing and military contexts—if you 'don the uniform,' you're not just putting it on, you're formally taking on that role and identity, which is why the word sounds so deliberate.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.