blouse

[ blous, blouz ]

noun

1. a usually lightweight, loose-fitting garment for women and children, covering the body from the neck or shoulders more or less to the waistline, with or without a collar and sleeves, worn inside or outside a skirt, slacks, etc.
2. a single-breasted, semifitted military jacket.
3. a loose outer garment, reaching to the hip or thigh, or below the knee, and sometimes belted. Compare smock frock.

verb (used without object)

, bloused, blous·ing.

1. to puff out in a drooping fullness, as a blouse above a fitted waistband.

verb (used with object)

, bloused, blous·ing.

1. to dispose the material of a garment in loose folds, as trouser legs over the tops of boots.

blouse

/ blaʊz /

noun

1. a woman's shirtlike garment made of cotton, nylon, etc
2. a loose-fitting smocklike garment, often knee length and belted, worn esp by E European peasants
3. a loose-fitting waist-length belted jacket worn by soldiers

verb

1. to hang or make so as to hang in full loose folds

Other Words From

• blouselike adjective
• blous·y adjective
• un·bloused adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of blouse¹

1820–30; < French, perhaps from the phrase *vêtement de laine blouse garment of short (i.e., uncarded, pure) wool; compare Provençal ( lano ) blouso pure (wool) < Old High German blōz naked, cognate with Old English bleat poor, miserable

Word History and Origins

Origin of blouse¹

C19: from French, of unknown origin

Example Sentences

Gathered on a patio on a recent afternoon, women in colorful, handcrafted blouses chatted as they heated tortillas on braziers.

From Los Angeles Times

On the dirt track, teens pass older women wearing traditional embroidered blouses and satin skirts returning from the fields, their bodies stooped by bundles of grass hoisted on their backs.

From Seattle Times

On the dirt track, teens pass older women wearing traditional embroidered blouses and shiny satin skirts returning from the fields, their bodies stooped by huge bundles of grass hoisted on their backs.

From Seattle Times

She’s dressed in black from head to toe—black jeans, black blouse, black high heels.

From Literature

Beneath the cloak, the Hood was dressed entirely in crimson from her blouse to her silky pants.

From Literature

Related Words

• bodice
• pullover
• turtleneck