"action of wearing" (clothes), mid-15c., from wear (v.). Meaning "what one wears" is 1560s. To be the worse for wear is attested from 1782; noun phrase wear and tear is first recorded 1660s, implying the sense "process of being degraded by use."

Old English werian "to clothe, put on, cover up," from Proto-Germanic *wasīn- (source also of Old Norse verja, Old High German werian, Gothic gawasjan "to clothe"), from PIE *wos-eyo-, suffixed form of *wes- (2) "to clothe," extended form of root *eu- "to dress."

The Germanic forms "were homonyms of the vb. for 'prevent, ward off, protect' (Goth. warjan, O.E. werian, etc.), and this was prob. a factor in their early displacement in most of the Gmc. languages" [Buck]. It shifted from a weak verb (past tense and past participle wered) to a strong one (past tense wore, past participle worn) in 14c. on analogy of rhyming strong verbs such as bear and tear. Secondary sense of "use up, gradually damage" (late 13c.) is from effect of continued use on clothes. To wear down (transitive) "overcome by steady force" is from 1843. To wear off "diminish by attrition or use" is from 1690s.

modern past tense of wear (v.).

"undergarments," 1872, from under + wear (n.). So called because they are worn under one's clothing.

"neckties, scarfs, cravats, collars, etc.," by 1859, from neck (n.) + wear (n.).

"clothing designed to be worn outside other garments," 1921, from outer (adj.) + wear (n.), probably based on underwear.

also sports-wear, 1912, from sports (n.) + wear (n.). Hence sports coat, sports shirt, etc.

c. 1500, from adjectival use of past participle of wear (v.); from Old English geworen. Worn-out "exhausted by wear, made ineffective by overuse" is attested from 1610s in reference to things, c. 1700 in reference to persons.

c. 1300, from Old French vestment (12c., Modern French vêtement), from Latin vestimentum "clothing, clothes," from vestire "to clothe," from PIE *wes- (4) "to clothe" (see wear (v.)). Related: Vestments; vestmental.

"deficiency of blood in a living body," alternative (chiefly U.S.) spelling of anaemia (q.v.); also see æ (1). As a genus of plants, Modern Latin, from Greek aneimon "unclad," from an- "without" (see an- (1)) + eima "a dress, garment" (see wear (v.)).