ao dai

American  

[ou dahy, aw dahy] / ˈaʊ ˈdaɪ, ˈɔ ˈdaɪ /

noun

plural

ao dais

1. a costume composed of a long tunic with side slits over wide trousers, worn by Vietnamese women as traditional dress.

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Etymology

Origin of ao dai

From Vietnamese áo dài literally, “long garment”

Example Sentences

After Charlene’s daughter Rainey gets a miniature ao dai for her Barbie doll from the family seamstress, Charlene cooks up a scheme that will ultimately push Tricia to her limit.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 31, 2023

There will be plenty of traditional Vietnamese food, lion dances, a curated ao ao dai fashion show and more.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 5, 2023

Flower girls in cream-colored traditional dresses called ao dai carried crocheted lace lanterns that were made by local artisans.

From New York Times • Mar. 23, 2012

In small, tentative clumps, children wandered over to inspect the Thai golden offering bowl, pick up the Indonesian rattle and poke at a Vietnamese doll dressed in a traditional ao dai.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2010

Women there still wear the brightly colored ao dai, in contrast to the unisex black pants and white shirt commonly worn in the north.

From Time Magazine Archive