About this episode
This episode discusses the word 'accoutrement', its meanings, and its etymology.
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 8, 2026 is: accoutrement • \uh-KOO-truh-munt\ • noun An accoutrement is a piece of clothing or equipment that is used in a particular place or for a particular activity. In military contexts, accoutrement refers specifically to a soldier's outfit. The word can also refer to an identifying and often superficial characteristic or device. Accoutrement in any of its uses is often pluralized. // They have all the accoutrements that a baker could ever want, including a robust collection of cookie cutters and a veritable wardrobe of vintage aprons. See the entry > Examples: "From the spectacularly colorful Parade of Flags ... to the customary dress and cultural accoutrements of the nations, we see just how rich, varied and wonderful are the backgrounds of these students who have traveled far to study among us." – The Commercial Dispatch (Columbus, Mississippi), 14 Apr. 2026 Did you know? Accoutrement and its rarer relative accoutre , a verb meaning "to provide with equipment or furnishings" or "to outfit," have been appearing in English texts since the 16th century. Today both words have variant spellings— accouterment and…
Topics covered
- language
- etymology
- military terminology
- clothing
- equipment
Keywords
- accoutrement
- clothing
- equipment
- military
- etymology
- French
- Latin
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: The Commercial Dispatch
Places: Columbus, Mississippi
More episodes of Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day
- hale · June 13, 2026 · 2 min
- blandishment · June 12, 2026 · 2 min
- saturnine · June 11, 2026 · 2 min
- foible · June 10, 2026 · 2 min
- deleterious · June 9, 2026 · 2 min
- MacGyver · June 7, 2026 · 2 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day podcast page.