brassiere

Or bras·sière

[bruh-zeer]

noun

1. a woman's undergarment for supporting the breasts.

brassiere

/ ˈbræsɪə, ˈbræz- /

noun

1. Often shortened to: bra. a woman's undergarment for covering and supporting the breasts

Word History and Origins

Origin of brassiere¹

1910–15; < French brassière bodice worn as an undergarment to support the breasts (now obsolete in this sense), Middle French bracieres camisole, Old French: armor for the arms, equivalent to bras arm ( brace ) + -ière, suffix added to body part nouns, the resultant derivative denoting an article for that part < Latin -āria -ary

Word History and Origins

Origin of brassiere¹

C20: from C17 French: bodice, from Old French braciere a protector for the arm, from braz arm