dirndl

[ durn-dl ]

noun

1. a woman's dress with a close-fitting bodice and full skirt, commonly of colorful and strikingly patterned material, fashioned after Tyrolean peasant wear.
2. a full, gathered skirt attached to a waistband or hip yoke.
3. any skirt with gathers at the waistband.

dirndl

/ ˈdɜːndəl /

noun

1. a woman's dress with a full gathered skirt and fitted bodice; originating from Tyrolean peasant wear
2. a gathered skirt of this kind

Word History and Origins

Origin of dirndl¹

1935–40; < German Dirndl, short for Dirndlkleid, equivalent to Dirndl young woman (originally Bavarian, Austrian dialect, diminutive of Dirne young woman, Middle High German dierne, Old High German thiorna; akin to thane ) + Kleid dress ( cloth )

Word History and Origins

Origin of dirndl¹

German (Bavarian and Austrian): shortened from Dirndlkleid, from Dirndl little girl + Kleid dress

Example Sentences

Among the outfits displayed are a pink tulle dress designed by Molly Goddard, a clown costume and a Bavarian dirndl dress and pig's mask combination.

From BBC

Servers at the Bavarian Inn wear dirndls or lederhosen.

From New York Times

“We have to tell them that Bavarians don’t always wear a dirndl and lederhosen,” said Andrea Orr, who works at the military exchange store in Grafenwöhr.

From New York Times

The specially brewed beer started flowing at midday at 54 pubs with locals in traditional lederhosen and dirndls sitting at spread out tables and, where possible, outside.

From Reuters

The beer garden opens at noon through Sunday; a “lederhosen and dirndl fashion contest” is held at 5 and 7 p.m. on Saturday, and specials on Jagermeister run all night Friday.

From Washington Post

Related Words

• dress
• kilt
• petticoat
• sarong