French word

vêtir

Pronunciation

IPA/vetiʁ/

Meaning

  • verbdress

Example

Elle va vêtir le bébé.

She is going to dress the baby.

Illustration for vêtir (dress)

More examples

Le magasin va vêtir le mannequin pour la nouvelle collection.

The store will dress the mannequin for the new collection.

Core concept

Clothing someone as a deliberate act of making them look properly dressed.

Common phrases

  • vêtir quelqu'un

    dress someone

  • vêtir un bébé

    dress a baby

  • vêtir quelqu'un de

    dress someone in ___

Similar words

habiller: To dress someone in clothes as an everyday action.
porter: To wear clothes or carry personal items on the body.
enfiler: To put on clothing or footwear by sliding limbs into them.
mettre: To put on clothing or place it on someone for wearing.

Definition in French

Faire porter des vêtements à quelqu'un ; verbe transitif, d'usage plutôt soutenu.

Word origin

Vêtir developed from Old French vestir, inherited from Latin vestire and linked to the Latin noun vestis, meaning clothing.

Usage tips

  • The pronominal form se vêtir refers to dressing oneself and is also formal, whereas s'habiller is the usual everyday choice.

Other meanings

  • dress upverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word