stole

The word “stole” means a long scarf-like garment, often made of fur or fabric, worn draped over the shoulders. In plain terms, a long scarf-like piece of clothing, worn either as fashion or as religious dress.

“Stole” is pronounced stohl (/stoʊl/ in IPA).

Here is “stole” used in a sentence: “She wore an elegant fur stole to the gala.”

“Stole” is a noun.

The word “stole” comes from Latin. From Latin stola, from Greek stole, meaning "garment" or "equipment.".

“Stole” is a fairly common word in modern English.

“Stole” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a long scarf-like garment, often made of fur or fabric, worn draped over the shoulders.

A stole is a long, wide, scarf-like garment, often of fur or fabric, worn draped over the shoulders for warmth or formal decoration. A scarf is usually narrower and more everyday, worn around the neck. Stoles tend to be dressier and are common with evening wear.

Both are worn over the shoulders, but a stole is typically long and narrow, draped so the ends hang down the front. A shawl is usually broader and can be wrapped more fully around the shoulders and arms. The stole is the more formal of the two.

In a religious setting, a stole is a decorated band worn by clergy over the shoulders during services. Its colour and use often reflect the season or occasion in the church calendar, making it a recognizable part of liturgical dress.

They are spelled and pronounced identically but are different words. The noun 'stole' is a garment worn over the shoulders, while 'stole' is also the past tense of the verb 'steal,' as in 'someone stole my bag.' Context makes clear which meaning is intended.