crinoline

[ krin-l-in ]

noun

1. a petticoat of haircloth or other stiff material, worn under a full skirt to keep it belled out.
2. a stiff, coarse cotton material for interlining.
3. a hoop skirt.
4. a reinforcement of iron straps for holding together brickwork, as of a furnace or chimney.

crinoline

/ ˈkrɪnəlɪn /

noun

1. a stiff fabric, originally of horsehair and linen used in lining garments
2. a petticoat stiffened with this, worn to distend skirts, esp in the mid-19th century
3. a framework of steel hoops worn for the same purpose

Word History and Origins

Origin of crinoline¹

1820–30; < French < Italian crinolino, equivalent to crino horse-hair (≪ Latin crīnis hair) + lino flax < Latin līnum; linen

Word History and Origins

Origin of crinoline¹

C19: from French, from Italian crinolino, from crino horsehair, from Latin crīnis hair + lino flax, from Latin līnum

Example Sentences

“My friend made this fantastic gown for me — orange silk bodice, and a raccoon and red faux fur cuffs. It’s crinoline underneath. It really makes me think about Seattle because it’s connected to a specific park.”

From Seattle Times

The bustle of one dress was made of rolls of crinoline that resemble a judge’s wig or a lobster tail.

From Seattle Times

She styled the tailored look with a headpiece featuring a crinoline base with a layer of tulle and merry widow veiling, adorned with a ribbon bow.

From Washington Times

She styled the tailored look with a headpiece featuring a crinoline base with a layer of tulle and merry widow veiling, adorned with a Petersham ribbon bow.

From Seattle Times

Ms. Westwood soon dissolved her partnership with McLaren, and went on to create designs including the mini-crini, a shortened version of the Victorian crinoline, and a lightweight corset designed to be worn on the outside of an outfit, which helped spark a ’90s trend toward underwear as outerwear.

From Washington Post