bodice

[ bod-is ]

noun

1. a usually fitted vest or wide, lace-up girdle worn by women over a dress or blouse, especially a cross-laced, sleeveless outer garment covering the waist and bust, common in peasant dress.
2. the part of a woman's dress covering the body between the neck or shoulders and the waist. Compare waist ( def 4 ).
3. Obsolete. stays or a corset.

bodice

/ ˈbɒdɪs /

noun

1. the upper part of a woman's dress, from the shoulder to the waist
2. a tight-fitting corset worn laced over a blouse, as in certain national costumes, or (formerly) as a woman's undergarment

Word History and Origins

Origin of bodice¹

1560–70; bodies, plural of body

Word History and Origins

Origin of bodice¹

C16: originally Scottish bodies , plural of body

Example Sentences

They dyed chiffon to match the skirt, and miraculously found two more originals on Etsy to cut to fit and reuse the beaded white bodice.

From Los Angeles Times

Instead of the floor-length gown, this glamour shot showed Perry sporting the wet-hair look and a dress with a bodice resembling tarnished metal and a floral skirt.

From Los Angeles Times

Pearls leaped from the hollow of her throat, bounced off her bodice, and peppered the floor.

From Literature

Entering the pavilion, the beaded bodices of sculptures in human form are emblazoned with dates of U.S. legislation that promised equity, the beading cascading into colorful fringe.

From Seattle Times

While Pangilinan still recommends what she calls “foundational” romance books — what our grandmothers would’ve called “bodice rippers” — she now cautions readers to enjoy them with a critical eye warning of “dubious consent.”

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• pullover
• turtleneck