Dress vs. Frock — What's the Difference?

A one-piece female garment.

A woman's or girl's dress.

An attire suitable for a specific occasion.

A long loose outer garment, like a monk's habit.

Clothing in general.

A term for dress used in certain regions.

An outer garment, especially one with a close-fitting bodice.

A formal dress for special occasions.

A dress (also known as a frock or a gown) is a garment traditionally worn by women or girls consisting of a skirt with an attached bodice (or a matching bodice giving the effect of a one-piece garment). It consists of a top piece that covers the torso and hangs down over the legs.

Frock has been used since Middle English as the name for an article of clothing, typically coat-like, for men and women.

Put on one's clothes

A dress.

Decorate (something) in an artistic or attractive way

A long loose outer garment, as that worn by artists and craftspeople; a smock.

Treat or prepare (something) in a certain way.

A woolen garment formerly worn by sailors; a jersey.

Draw up (troops) in the proper alignment.

A robe worn by monks, friars, and other clerics; a habit.

(of a man) have the genitals habitually on one or the other side of the fork of the trousers

To clothe in a frock.

Make (an artificial fly) for use in fishing

To invest with clerical office.

A one-piece garment for a woman or girl that covers the body and extends down over the legs

A dress, a piece of clothing, which consists of a skirt and a cover for the upper body.

Clothing of a specified kind for men or women

An outer garment worn by priests and other clericals; a habit.

To put clothes on; clothe.

A sailor's jersey.

To furnish with clothing.

An undress regimental coat.

To decorate or adorn

(dialectal) A frog.

To garnish

(transitive) To clothe (somebody) in a frock.

To arrange a display in

(transitive) To make (somebody) a cleric.

To arrange (troops) in ranks; align.

To grant to an officer the title and uniform of a rank he will soon be promoted to.

To apply medication, bandages, or other therapeutic materials to (a wound).

A loose outer garment; especially, a gown forming a part of European modern costume for women and children; also, a coarse shirtlike garment worn by some workmen over their other clothes; a smock frock; as, a marketman's frock.

To arrange and groom (the hair), as by styling, combing, or washing.

A coarse gown worn by monks or friars, and supposed to take the place of all, or nearly all, other garments. It has a hood which can be drawn over the head at pleasure, and is girded by a cord.

To groom (an animal); curry.

To clothe in a frock.

To fertilize (land or plants).

To make a monk of. Cf. Unfrock.

(Archaic) To cultivate (land or plants).

A one-piece garment for a woman; has skirt and bodice

To clean (fish or fowl) for cooking or sale.

Put a frock on

To put a finish on (stone or wood, for example).

A child's dress.

To tan or prepare (a hide) in leather-making.

To put on clothes.

To wear clothes of a certain kind or style

To wear formal clothes

To get into proper alignment with others

Clothing; apparel.

A style of clothing

A one-piece outer garment consisting of a skirt and bodice.

Outer covering or appearance; guise

Suitable for formal occasions

Requiring formal clothes

(transitive)

To put clothes (or, formerly, armour) on (oneself or someone, a doll, a mannequin, etc.); to clothe.

To design, make, provide, or select clothes (for someone).

To arrange or style (someone's hair).

To adorn or ornament (something).

To apply a dressing to or otherwise treat (a wound); (obsolete) to give (a wounded person) medical aid.

To fit or prepare (something) for use; to render (something) suitable for an intended purpose; to get ready.

To cultivate or tend to (a garden, land, plants, etc.); especially, to add fertilizer or manure to (soil); to fertilize, to manure.

To cut up (an animal or its flesh) for food; specifically (hunting), to remove the internal organs (of a game animal) shortly after it has been killed so that the carcass cools more quickly; to field dress.

(cooking) To prepare (food) for cooking or eating, especially by seasoning it; specifically, to add a dressing or sauce (to food, especially a salad).

(military) To arrange (soldiers or troops) into proper formation; especially, to adjust (soldiers or troops) into straight lines and at a proper distance from each other; to align.

To treat (someone) in a particular manner; specifically, in an appropriate or fitting manner; to give (someone) a deserved beating; also, to give (someone) a good scolding; to dress down.

(obsolete) To break in and train (a horse or other animal) for use.

To prepare (oneself); to make ready.

(intransitive)

To put on clothes.

Of a thing: to attain a certain condition after undergoing some process or treatment to fit or prepare it for use.

To allow one's penis to fall to one side or the other within one's trousers.

(slang) cross-dress

Of an animal carcass: to have a certain quantity or weight after removal of the internal organs and skin; also, to have a certain appearance after being cut up and prepared for cooking.

Of soldiers or troops: to arrange into proper formation; especially, to form into straight lines and at a proper distance from each other.

(sports) Of a sportsperson: to put on the uniform and have the equipment needed to play a sport.

(countable)

An item of clothing (usually worn by a woman or young girl) which both covers the upper part of the body and includes a skirt below the waist.

Ellipsis of dress rehearsal

(uncountable)

Apparel or clothing, especially when appropriate for a particular occasion, profession, etc.

(archaic) The act of putting on clothes, especially fashionable ones, or for a particular (especially formal) occasion.

(by extension)

(obsolete) The act of applying a dressing to or otherwise treating a wound; also, the dressing so applied.

To direct; to put right or straight; to regulate; to order.

To arrange in exact continuity of line, as soldiers; commonly to adjust to a straight line and at proper distance; to align; as, to dress the ranks.

To treat methodically with remedies, bandages, or curative appliances, as a sore, an ulcer, a wound, or a wounded or diseased part.

To adjust; to put in good order; to arrange; specifically: (a) To prepare for use; to fit for any use; to render suitable for an intended purpose; to get ready; as, to dress a slain animal; to dress meat; to dress leather or cloth; to dress or trim a lamp; to dress a garden; to dress a horse, by currying and rubbing; to dress grain, by cleansing it; in mining and metallurgy, to dress ores, by sorting and separating them.

To cut to proper dimensions, or give proper shape to, as to a tool by hammering; also, to smooth or finish.

To put in proper condition by appareling, as the body; to put clothes upon; to apparel; to invest with garments or rich decorations; to clothe; to deck.

To break and train for use, as a horse or other animal.

To arrange one's self in due position in a line of soldiers; - the word of command to form alignment in ranks; as, Dress right, dress!

To clothe or apparel one's self; to put on one's garments; to pay particular regard to dress; as, to dress quickly.

That which is used as the covering or ornament of the body; clothes; garments; habit; apparel.

A lady's gown; as, silk or a velvet dress.

Attention to apparel, or skill in adjusting it.

The system of furrows on the face of a millstone.

A one-piece garment for a woman; has skirt and bodice

Clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion;

Clothing in general;

Put on clothes;

Provide with clothes or put clothes on;

Put a finish on;

Dress in a certain manner;

Dress or groom with elaborate care;

Kill and prepare for market or consumption;

Arrange in ranks;

Decorate (food), as with parsley or other ornamental foods

Provide with decoration;

Put a dressing on;

Cultivate, tend, and cut back the growth of;

Cut down rough-hewn (lumber) to standard thickness and width

Convert into leather;

Apply a bandage or medication to;

Give a neat appearance to;

Arrange attractively;

Suitable for formal occasions;

(of an occasion) requiring formal clothes;

A gown or robe of distinction.

No, while often used for children's dresses, it can also refer to women's dresses.

Historically, "frock" referred to a loose outer garment, like a monk's habit, so yes. But modern usage typically refers to female dresses.

"Gown" often refers to more formal, long dresses or robes of distinction.

Historically, yes, but now "frock" often refers specifically to a child's or woman's dress.

Yes, "dress" can be a verb meaning to put on clothes.

In the U.S., it's less common and might be considered quaint, but it's still used in places like the UK.

While mainly a one-piece garment for females, "dress" can sometimes mean attire in general.

"Dress" is the more common term in the U.S., while "frock" is more prevalent in places like the UK.

A frock coat is a men's coat, and while it shares the term "frock," it's different from a frock dress.

No, frocks can vary in formality, though the term is sometimes used for somewhat formal dresses.

Both can be formal, but "frock" is sometimes used for more formal or specific dresses.

Yes, dresses range from casual to formal styles.

"Frock" comes from Old French "froc," meaning a monk's habit, referencing the loose garment.

While typically associated with women, anyone can wear a dress regardless of gender.

Consider your audience and context. In the U.S., "dress" is more universally understood, while "frock" may have specific connotations or be less commonly used.