frock

Meanings

Noun

• A dress, a piece of clothing for a female, which consists of a skirt and a cover for the upper body.
• An outer garment worn by priests and other clericals; a habit.
• A sailor's jersey.
• An undress regimental coat.
• A frog.

Verb

• To clothe in a frock.
• To make a cleric.

Origin

• From Middle English frok, frokke, from Old French froc ("frock, a monk's gown or habit"), perhaps via Medieval Latin hrocus, roccus, rocus, from Frankish *hroc, *hrok, from Proto-Germanic *hrukkaz ("robe, jacket, skirt, tunic"), from Proto-Indo-European *kreḱ- ("to weave"). Cognate with Old High German hroch, roch – whence German Rock ("skirt, coat") –, Saterland Frisian Rok ("skirt"), Dutch rok ("skirt, petticoat"), Old English rocc ("an overgarment, tunic, rochet"), Old Norse rokkr ("skirt, jacket"), whence Danish rok ("garment").
• From Middle English froke, variation of frogge, from Old English frocga ("frog"). More at frog.