housedress

[ hous-dres ]

noun

1. a relatively simple and inexpensive dress suitable for housework.

Word History and Origins

Origin of housedress¹

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900; house + dress

Example Sentences

Her road to “The Merv Griffin Show” and “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” was the least likely of any of her contemporaries, especially as she performed her act in a housedress and a cap and, later, often without her teeth, playing elderly before she even was.

From Washington Post

Usually she wore sharp red lipstick that highlighted her dark skin and matched her Sunday suit; that day she wore no makeup, her face was streaked with tears, and she wore a regular housedress.

From Literature

The cool water, slipping through my fingers, fascinated me almost as much as the scent of Woolite that wafted from her faded pink and green housedress.

From Washington Post

Smoke from the gun blasts obscures the face of the woman, who wears a polka-dot housedress; later, on closer inspection, Lower will discover another child nestled in the woman’s lap.

From New York Times

A homely housedress that belonged to Alma pulls crucial storytelling duties.

From Los Angeles Times