Uniform
/ˈjuː.nɪ.fɔːrm/noun
Identical in form, appearance, or character; also, a distinctive set of clothing worn by members of an organization.
Did you know?Uniform comes from Latin roots meaning “one shape,” and its English history is tied to the idea of standardized order: a single form imposed so everyone appears as part of one disciplined whole.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dʰeh₁-
“to put, place, set”
Latin
Latin
ūnus
“one”
Latin
Latin
forma
“shape, form, appearance”
Late Latin
Latin
ūnifōrmis
“having one form; of one shape”
Middle French
Old French
uniforme
“of one form, consistent”
16th Century
English
uniform
“conforming to one rule or mode; of one form”
Modern English
English
uniform
“identical in appearance or arrangement; a distinctive outfit worn by members of a group”