raiment
UK[ˈreɪmənt]US[ˈreɪmənt]
n
Clothing, especially of a fine or decorative kind; garments collectively.
Etymology
The word 'raiment' entered English in the late 14th century from the Middle English 'rayment', which was an aphetic form (loss of an initial unstressed vowel) of the earlier 'arrayment'. 'Arrayment' itself was a noun formed from the verb 'array', meaning to arrange or adorn, with the addition of the nominal suffix '-ment'. The verb 'array' has a deeper lineage, coming from Anglo-French 'arayer', Old French 'areer', which is based on a Germanic source. This source is related to a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to prepare, put in order," which is also the ancestor of the English word 'ready'. Thus, the core logic of 'raiment' flows from the ancient concept of preparation and ordering, specifically applied to the adornment of the body with garments, evolving into a somewhat archaic and literary term for clothing.
Analysis
The word 'raiment' is a simplex word derived as a whole from Middle English. It is not productively formed from separable modern English morphemes.
Examples
The queen was dressed in rich raiment of silk and gold.
He had sold all his worldly goods, save the simple raiment he wore.
The poem describes the hills clad in the green raiment of spring.