vestis

Vestis is a Latin noun meaning a garment or piece of clothing. In classical Latin, it can refer to a single item of dress as well as clothing in general, and it was used across social strata to denote dress, status, or function. In later Latin and medieval usage, vestis often appears alongside more technical terms such as vestimentum to describe clothing as a category, as well as specific items like tunica, stola, or cloak.

Etymology and linguistic legacy: The word vestis gave rise to a family of terms in Romance languages and influenced English vocabulary through Old French and Latin. English words such as vest, vestment, and vesture trace their origins back to Latin vestis or vestimentum, reflecting the enduring association between clothing and related linguistic forms.

Context and modern usage: In scholarly discussions of ancient dress, vestis serves as a general term for garments, distinct from more specific names for particular items. It also appears in discussions of Roman law and social norms relating to attire, where clothing signified status, function, or identity. In ecclesiastical and historical contexts, the related term vestimentum and the English vestments refer to the liturgical robes worn by clergy and ministers. Today, vestis is primarily encountered in linguistic, historical, or philological writing rather than as a common everyday term.