Clothes ( or ; 277), n. pl.
Etymology: [From Cloth.]
1. Covering for the human body; dress; vestments; vesture; -- a general term for whatever covering is worn, or is made to be worn, for decency or comfort. She . . . speaks well, and has excellent good clothes. Shak. If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole. Mark. v. 28.
2. The covering of a bed; bedclothes. She turned each way her frighted head, Then sunk it deep beneath the clothes. Prior. Body clothes. See under Body. -- Clothes moth (Zoöl.), a small moth of the genus Tinea. The most common species (T. flavifrontella)is yellowish white. The larvæ eat woolen goods, furs, feathers, etc. They live in tubular cases made of the material upon which they feed, fastened together with silk.
Syn. -- Garments; dress; clothing; apparel; attire; vesture; raiment; garb; costume; habit; habiliments.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for clothes; he lists it under dress.
Where he writes about it:
Clothing denotes the entire covering of the body, taken as a whole; clothes and garments view it as composed of separate parts. — from dress
Clothes, clothing, and garments may be used of inner or outer covering; all the other words in the list (with possible rare exceptions in the case of raiment) refer to the outer garments. — from dress