blouse

American  

[blous, blouz] / blaʊs, blaʊz /

noun

1. a usually lightweight, loose-fitting garment for women and children, covering the body from the neck or shoulders more or less to the waistline, with or without a collar and sleeves, worn inside or outside a skirt, slacks, etc.

2. a single-breasted, semifitted military jacket.

3. a loose outer garment, reaching to the hip or thigh, or below the knee, and sometimes belted.

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verb (used without object)

bloused, blousing

1. to puff out in a drooping fullness, as a blouse above a fitted waistband.

verb (used with object)

bloused, blousing

1. to dispose the material of a garment in loose folds, as trouser legs over the tops of boots.

blouse British  

/ blaʊz /

noun

1. a woman's shirtlike garment made of cotton, nylon, etc

2. a loose-fitting smocklike garment, often knee length and belted, worn esp by E European peasants

3. a loose-fitting waist-length belted jacket worn by soldiers

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verb

1. to hang or make so as to hang in full loose folds

Other Word Forms

• blouselike adjective
• blousy adjective
• unbloused adjective

Etymology

Origin of blouse

1820–30; < French, perhaps from the phrase *vêtement de laine blouse garment of short (i.e., uncarded, pure) wool; compare Provençal ( lano ) blouso pure (wool) < Old High German blōz naked, cognate with Old English bleat poor, miserable

Explanation

A blouse is a shirt usually worn by a woman. Your grandmother's favorite silk blouse might have pearl buttons down the front. A dressy item of clothing worn on the top of the body, mainly by girls or women, is sometimes called a blouse. Some military and historical garments are also blouses, and you can use the word as a verb meaning "to puff out or hang in folds," the way many blouses do. In French the word means "workman or peasant's shirt," but beyond that its origin is mysterious.

Example Sentences

She’s by his side clasping her hands, wearing a colorful blouse that pales in radiance to Huerta’s hopeful face as she looks at the crowd before them.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 24, 2026

He complimented her on her blue pleated skirt and white blouse.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

The garment gained prominence last week when President John Dramani Mahama wore it during a state visit to Zambia, where some mockingly called it a "blouse," prompting a fierce response from Ghanaians online.

From BBC • Feb. 11, 2026

Usually, she liked wearing khaki pants, a simple blouse, and loafers.

From Slate • Nov. 15, 2025

Patti laughs, and then we buy a matching skirt and blouse for Rani.

From "Born Behind Bars" by Padma Venkatraman

Related Words

• bodice
• pullover
• turtleneck