bodice

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the fitted upper part of a woman's dress, above the waist

   The velvet bodice was decorated with tiny pearl buttons.

2. 2
   noun

   a close-fitting sleeveless garment worn by women over a blouse or dress, especially in historical clothing

   Her traditional costume included an embroidered bodice over a white blouse.

Simplified etymology

Bodice developed in the mid-16th century from bodies, the plural of body, used for a garment covering the upper body. At the time, bodies was pronounced much like modern bodice, allowing the plural form to be reinterpreted as a singular noun.

A singular form created from bodies, once the plural of body. In early English dressmaking, ‘a pair of bodies’ meant the two joined sides of a fitted upper garment; bodice later became the standard singular word.

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary