choli

American  

[choh-lee] / ˈtʃoʊ li /

Or cholee

noun

1. a short-sleeved blouse or bodice, often one exposing part of the midriff, worn by women in the Indian subcontinent.

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choli British  

/ ˈkəʊlɪ /

noun

1. a short-sleeved bodice, as worn by Indian women

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Etymology

Origin of choli

First recorded in 1905–10, choli is from the Hindi word colī

Example Sentences

On a Saturday morning, a cluster of college-age women in sequined red-and-green ghagra choli jostle around a selfie stick in the parking lot.

From Slate • Apr. 3, 2017

Vera Wang's India-inspired clothes were quiet, delicate and lovely, sometimes requiring a trained eye to notice Wang's nod to the Nehru collar or choli jacket.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 11, 2012

I put on my choli and my petticoat.

From "Homeless Bird" by Gloria Whelan

Their women wear the Hindustāni angia tied with string behind in place of the Marātha choli or breast-cloth, and drape their sāris after the northern fashion.

From The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India—Volume I (of IV) by Russell, R. V. (Robert Vane)

I was much struck with the immense variety of turban on the men, and the choli and headgear on the women.

From The Romance of Isabel Lady Burton Volume II by Wilkins, W. H.