Frock: Definition, Usage & Examples

Meaning 1：dress (frock)

frock 🔊

/frɑːk/

A dress, especially one worn by a girl or woman, often for a nice or special occasion.

Illustration of a girl in a light blue floral frock, smiling in front of a mirror.

dress 🔊

➕

/dres/

A garment, typically worn by women or girls, that consists of a bodice and a skirt in one piece. It often implies a style worn for a nice, special, or somewhat formal occasion.

📁 Category：Fashion Trends 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Derived from Old French 'froc' (monk's habit), from Frankish origin.

💡 Mnemonic

Think of a flock of sheep in a rock garden, but one is wearing a pretty FROCK.

📖 Example

For her birthday party, she picked out a frock with little flowers all over it. 🔊 For her birthday party, she picked out a frock with little flowers all over it.

🔗 Collocations

party frock – A dress specifically for a party or celebration.

summer frock – A light, often sleeveless dress suitable for warm weather.

designer frock – A dress created by a famous fashion designer.

🔄 Synonyms

dress (n.) – The most direct and common synonym; a one-piece garment for a woman or girl.

gown (n.) – Often implies a more formal or elegant dress, like for a ball or wedding.

garment (n.) – A more general term for any item of clothing.

🚫 Antonyms

trousers (n.) – A garment covering the body from the waist to the ankles, divided into separate parts for each leg.

pants (n.) – An item of clothing covering the legs separately.

🌱 Derivatives

frocked (adj.) – Dressed in a frock.

📖 Cultural Story

The word 'frock' originally referred to a monk's loose outer garment in the Middle Ages. By the 16th century, it broadened to mean a coarse outer coat worn by peasants and workers. Its modern association with women's dresses solidified by the 19th century.