bodice

American  

[bod-is] / ˈbɒd ɪs /

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.

3. Obsolete. stays or a corset.

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bodice British  

/ 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

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Etymology

Origin of bodice

1560–70; bodies, plural of body

Explanation

A bodice is the section of a dress from the waist to the neck. Wedding dresses often have a fitted bodice and a long, flowing skirt. While a bodice is one part of a dress, along with sleeves and a skirt, it can also describe an old-fashioned, vest-like article of clothing. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the bodice was often separate but sewn from the same material as a skirt. You can still see this type of bodice in various types of European folk clothing, like a German dirndl. In the 1560s, bodice was the plural form of body, a "tight-fitting Elizabethan garment."

Example Sentences

Jessie Buckley, the favorite to win the best actress Oscar for her portrayal of William Shakespeare's grief-stricken wife in "Hamnet," looked regal in a red Chanel off-the-shoulder bodice and flowing pink ball skirt.

From Barron's • Mar. 15, 2026

“How beautiful she is in her shining raiment,” he rhapsodizes, “her birch-bark body, her sable bodice, her white cravat, her goffered ruff.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

Meanwhile, Harrison, who has modeled in campaigns for J. Crew and Topshop, wore a bodice and trousers with a sheer overlay on top.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 1, 2025

Actor Jeremy Pope wore a beautifully constructed Maison Margiela bodice, which fashion theorist Rian Phin noted was aligned with Miller’s writing about “reconstruction of identity through fashion.”

From Salon • May 6, 2025

The queen wore a high-collared black silk gown, with a hundred dark red rubies sewn into her bodice, covering her from neck to bosom.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

Related Words

• pullover
• turtleneck