🌳 A fig tree 🧥 A loose jacket

banyan

9.8

A loose, comfortable robe worn at home, often by men

noun
/ˈbæn.jən/

Archaic

: banyan

In colonial times, European gentlemen often wore a banyan while relaxing at home.

And it was Donald Sutherland in a corset and a banyan.

Examples

He wore a comfortable banyan while relaxing at home.
The portrait shows the scholar dressed in a richly patterned banyan.
He changed out of his formal coat and into a comfortable banyan for the evening.
The banyan is perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon.
After a long day, he slipped into a cozy banyan to unwind at home.
During his stay in India, he bought a colorful banyan to wear while relaxing.
His favorite banyan, made of soft cotton, was perfect for lounging on the weekend.

Synonyms

jama

vsbanyan

Indian

1 9.9

A long loose coat worn in South Asia, often by men

is usually shorter and for wearing at home

banian

vsbanyan

Archaic

9.9

A loose comfortable jacket worn indoors, originally from India

is mainly worn at home rather than in public

bandi

vsbanyan

Indian

8.5

A sleeveless jacket worn by men over a long shirt called a kurta for special occasions

is a loose indoor garment worn on its own not over another

Compounds

banyan tree

1 6.5

A large tree from India whose branches grow roots that become new trunks

banyan day

Indian

9.8

A pleasant day for outdoor activities and events under banyan trees

Indian banyan

Indian

7.8

A large Indian tree with roots that grow down into new trunks

How Loose

caftan

9 7.4

robe

284 1.3

dressing gown

8 2.8

banyan

Archaic

9.8

shirt

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

banyan singular

banyans plural

Etymology

Banyan: The name for the loose, comfortable jacket comes from an Indian word banian meaning 'merchant', because those traders often wore loose gowns at home. So a banyan became the word for a soft home robe once popular with those merchants.