gown vs dress

gown and dress both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
gown	Yes	No	Yes	No
dress	Yes	Yes	Yes	No

As nouns, dress is a hypernym of gown; that is, dress is a word with a broader meaning than gown:

gown: a woman's dress, usually with a close-fitting bodice and a long flared skirt, often worn on formal occasions
dress: a one-piece garment for a woman; has skirt and bodice

Other hypernyms of gown include frock.

As verbs, dress is a hypernym of gown; that is, dress is a word with a broader meaning than gown:

Other hypernyms of gown include apparel, clothe, enclothe, fit out, garb, garment, habilitate, raiment, tog.

gown (noun)	dress (noun)
a woman's dress, usually with a close-fitting bodice and a long flared skirt, often worn on formal occasions	a one-piece garment for a woman; has skirt and bodice
outerwear consisting of a long flowing garment used for official or ceremonial occasions	clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion
protective garment worn by surgeons during operations	clothing in general
lingerie consisting of a loose dress designed to be worn in bed by women
the members of a university as distinguished from the other residents of the town in which the university is located

gown (adjective)	dress (adjective)
	(of an occasion) requiring formal clothes
	suitable for formal occasions

gown (verb)	dress (verb)
dress in a gown	put on clothes
	provide with clothes or put clothes on
	apply a bandage or medication to
	arrange attractively
	dress or groom with elaborate care
	give a neat appearance to
	dress in a certain manner
	kill and prepare for market or consumption
	convert into leather
	put a dressing on
	put a finish on
	cultivate, tend, and cut back the growth of
	provide with decoration
	cut down rough-hewn (lumber) to standard thickness and width
	decorate (food), as with parsley or other ornamental foods
	arrange in ranks