atour

finery, adornment

noun ah-TOOR Rare

Origin: from Old French atorner (to arrange, adorn)

Usage Note

Atour is almost exclusively used in the plural, atours, meaning fine dress or ornaments, and is stylistically elevated or literary. The historical phrase dame d'atours referred to a lady-in-waiting responsible for a queen's dress and jewels. In modern French it appears mainly in literary or ironic registers.

Examples

"Elle était parée de ses plus beaux atours."

Natural Translation

She was adorned in her finest finery.

Literal Translation

She was adorned of her most beautiful adornments.

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