peplum
Americannoun
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peplums,
plural
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pepla
plural
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a short full flounce or an extension of a garment below the waist, covering the hips.
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a short skirt attached to a bodice or jacket.
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Obsolete. a peplos.
noun
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a flared ruffle attached to the waist of a jacket, bodice, etc
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a variant of peplos
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of peplum
1670–80; < Latin < Greek *péplon (neuter; only plural pépla occurs). See peplos
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
His charming, whimsical collection featured ruffled tutus, sculptured soft knits, peplum jackets, skirts with bustles and plenty of shearling fabric.
From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2026
Some shirts had thick velvet scarves attached to their hems to create a peplum, fringed ends brushing the floor.
From New York Times ● Mar. 8, 2022
For her wedding day, the princess famously wore a long-sleeved gown with a fitted top, a peplum and a long train by British-based designers Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos.
From Fox News ● Oct. 13, 2021
Short denim jumpsuits were wide enough to suggest a dress and ensure comfort, while a lemon yellow belted jacket created a male peplum over a matching cargo trouser.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 16, 2019
For me, it would be a pair of white jean shorts with a black lace peplum blouse.
From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles
This allowed Abe to surreally shrink proportions and create innovative silhouettes, visible in generous peplums, pants and skirts, and intricate folds within knitwear.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 25, 2023
For women there were pretty silken shirts with pleated peplums over straight skirts.
From Washington Times ● Feb. 20, 2019
Tulle bursts escaped from the seams of full skirts and the peplums of neat jackets.
From New York Times ● Sep. 16, 2014
Those were pursued eccentrically down the catwalk by sheer organza shirts, metallic menswear jackets and oversized peplums.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 26, 2012
I was alive when women wore those ridiculous clothes with the big shoulder pads and the nipped-in waists, with peplums over their bums like backward aprons.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
