What does wardrober mean?
A wardrober is a person entrusted with looking after clothing and other wardrobe supplies. The role has traditionally belonged to royal and aristocratic households, where a senior official supervised inventories of garments, textiles, and related goods. In institutions, wardrobers may issue uniforms, gowns, or protective clothing, while in theatre and film they help prepare and maintain performers’ costumes. Today the word often carries a formal or historical flavour, although it remains a practical job title in some organizations. It should not be confused with a wardrobe, which is the collection of clothes or the storage space itself. Wardrober is formed from the older word wardrobe by adding the agent suffix -er, literally indicating someone who has charge of a wardrobe. The compound is a useful example of how occupational terms preserve the history of the institutions in which they arose.
nounA person responsible for a wardrobe or for supplying and maintaining clothing, especially in a royal household, institution, theatre company, or film production.
- A person who has charge of a wardrobe, especially an official responsible for storing, supplying, or maintaining clothing for a household, institution, or performing group.
"The theatre wardrober made sure each performer received the correct costume before the rehearsal."
"The hospital wardrober delivered clean uniforms and patient gowns to each ward."
"For the historical drama, the company wardrober dressed the actors in clothing chosen to match the period."
The standard plural is wardrobers.
"The wardrobers prepared separate costumes for the two leading actors."
The royal office of Great Wardrober once administered not only clothes, but also an astonishing inventory of textiles, furniture, and luxury goods.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of wardrober
English wardrober was formed from wardrobe with the agent suffix -er, meaning a person who has care of a wardrobe. Wardrobe entered Middle English from Old French garde-robe, a term for a room or place for keeping clothes and derived from garde, meaning to guard or keep, and robe, meaning clothing or dress. In historical English households, the corresponding official had responsibility for valuable garments, textiles, and related royal possessions.
How wardrober is actually used
The word has a formal, historical, or institutional tone. It remains especially associated with British usage and with traditional household, hospital, theatre, and film-production roles, although it is also understood in American English.
Easily confused with wardrober
A wardrober is a person who manages clothing, whereas a wardrobe is the collection of clothes itself or the room or furniture in which they are kept.