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"suit" in seven languages

Meaningsuit

Spanish

traje

/ˈtɾaxe/

masc.other source · probably Portuguese trajo, from trazer 'to bring, wear' (Latin TRAHERE)

Also a costume: traje de baño, swimsuit.

French

costume

/kɔstym/

masc.other source · Italian costume 'custom, fashion' (Latin CONSUĒTŪDINEM)

Italian

abito

/ˈabito/

masc.learned

l'abito · Also vestito; abito da sera is evening dress.

Portuguese

terno

/ˈtɛhnu/

masc.other source · Latin TERNUM 'set of three' (the three-piece suit)

In Portugal a suit is a fato.

Romanian

costum

/kosˈtum/

neut.other source · French costume (from Italian costume 'custom')

plural: costume

Catalan

vestit

/bəsˈtit/

masc.other source · Latin VESTĪTUM 'clothed'

English

suit

/sut/

other source · Anglo-French siute

English → ItaliansuitabitoNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: habit, habitual; costume, custom (CONSUĒTŪDINEM).What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

HABITUM‘condition, bearing, dress (from HABĒRE)’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

A monk's habit and a habit of mind are one Latin word, which Italian kept for a suit. French costume is 'custom' — what one usually wears; English kept both costume and custom.

English relatives: habit, habitual; costume, custom (CONSUĒTŪDINEM)

Learn it

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In a sentence

  • esVa al trabajo con traje.
  • frIl va au travail en costume.
  • itVa al lavoro in abito.
  • ptEle vai trabalhar de terno.
  • roMerge la serviciu la costum.
  • caVa a la feina amb vestit.
  • enHe wears a suit to work.

More in Clothing

All Clothing words