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ca·par·i·son

(kə-părĭ-sən)

1. An ornamental covering for a horse or for its saddle or harness; trappings.

2. Richly ornamented clothing; finery.

tr.v. ca·par·i·soned, ca·par·i·son·ing, ca·par·i·sons

1. To outfit (a horse) with an ornamental covering.

2. To dress (another) in rich clothing.

[Obsolete French caparasson, from Old Spanish caparazón, from Medieval Latin cappa, cloak; see CAPE¹.]

(click for a larger image)

caparison

from the 15th-century Italian illuminated manuscript Codex Capodilista

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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