sari

American  

[sahr-ee] / ˈsɑr i /

Or saree

noun

plural

saris

1. a garment worn by Hindu women, consisting of a long piece of cotton or silk wrapped around the body with one end draped over the head or over one shoulder.

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sari British  

/ ˈsɑːrɪ /

noun

1. the traditional dress of women of India, Pakistan, etc, consisting of a very long narrow piece of cloth elaborately swathed around the body

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Etymology

Origin of sari

1570–80; < Hindi sāṛī < Sanskrit śāṭī

Explanation

A sari is a piece of clothing that South Asian women often wear. If you go to a wedding in India, you'll probably see the bride wearing a red silk sari. A sari consists of one very long piece of fabric that's wrapped around the body and draped over a shoulder, and garments worn underneath, including a short-sleeved blouse. The style and fabric of a sari, as well as the way it's worn, varies between different regions and traditions. You can also spell this word saree. It comes from the Hindi sari and the Sanskrit root sati, "garment" or "petticoat."

Example Sentences

His partner, Samantha Morrison, picked up a silk sari.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 8, 2025

In another, Munshi stands defiantly before the entrance of a boycotted British department store, uncowed by a group of British police officers towering over her - and stylishly dressed in a sleeveless sari blouse.

From BBC • Nov. 29, 2025

Mr Ramesh's mother walked with the coffin in a blue sari along with other mourners, as he held it on his right shoulder.

From BBC • Jun. 18, 2025

It’s a comedy about a South Asian teen who rebels against her sister’s arranged marriage with some of the baddest martial arts moves ever performed in a sari.

From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2024

Taking off my widow’s sari was a great relief.

From "Homeless Bird" by Gloria Whelan