Outfit

How to spell outfit

6 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce outfit

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does outfit mean?

1. nounA set of clothes worn together, especially chosen for a particular occasion.
2. nounAn informal term for a group, business, or team working together as a unit.
3. verbTo provide someone or something with equipment or clothing for a purpose.

Outfit in a sentence

• noun

  She bought a new outfit for the job interview.

• noun

  They hired a small marketing outfit to run the campaign.

• verb

  The charity helped outfit the new flat with basic furniture.

• noun

  The bride changed into a second outfit for the evening reception.

• noun

  The band started as a four-piece outfit playing local pubs.

• verb

  They planned to outfit the expedition with cold-weather gear.

Where does outfit come from?

Language of origin: Germanic

Outfit is a transparent English compound built from the adverb 'out', meaning 'away' or 'forth', and the verb 'fit', meaning 'to equip or supply with what is needed'. The verb 'fit' itself goes back to Middle English 'fitten', meaning to be suitable or properly arranged, and by extension to furnish someone with the right gear. The compound first appears in the early nineteenth century, originally describing the complete kit a traveller, sailor, or settler gathered before setting out on a long journey; the sense was literally 'what you fit yourself out with before heading out'. From that practical idea of a full set of equipment, the word easily broadened to mean a coordinated set of clothes, and then, informally, a group of people working together as a unit such as a business or a military detachment. The spelling stays reassuringly regular: it is simply 'out' followed by 'fit', with no silent letters or doubled consonants to trip up the writer.

How the word is built

• out- (away, forth)
• fit (to equip, supply)