An Outfit Is Clothing and Also an Organisation
An outfit is a set of clothes. It also means a group or business, from the sense of a complete equipping.
An outfit is a set of clothes worn together. The word originally meant the act of fitting someone out with equipment for a journey or a role, and that broader sense survives in the informal use for an organisation — a small outfit, a shady outfit. Both senses rest on the idea of being completely equipped.
- A set of clothes. *A new outfit.*
- A set of equipment. *A repair outfit.*
- An organisation (informal). *A small outfit.*
- To equip. *Outfitted for the expedition.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | outfit | A smart outfit. |
| Plural | outfits | Several outfits. |
| Verb | outfit | Outfit the crew. |
| Person | outfitter | A gentlemen's outfitter. |
| Related | kit | A first aid kit. |
How it is used in a sentence
- They are a small outfit.An organisation.
- The expedition was outfitted in Cairo.Equipped.
- An outfitter sold clothing and equipment.A traditional British shop term.
Words for a set of equipment
- Outfit — a complete set, of clothing or equipment
- Kit — the British general term
- Gear — informal, especially for sport or specialist activity
- Rig — equipment, especially nautical or industrial
- Ensemble — a coordinated set of clothes
From *out* and *fit*, first recorded in the eighteenth century in the sense of equipping for a voyage.
Why does outfit mean an organisation?
From the sense of a complete equipped unit, especially a military one. The informal use spread from there.
What was an outfitter?
A shop supplying clothing and equipment, especially for a particular purpose such as school uniform or expeditions.