bodice

[bod-is]

noun

1. a usually fitted vest or wide, lace-up girdle worn by women over a dress or blouse, especially a cross-laced, sleeveless outer garment covering the waist and bust, common in peasant dress.

2. the part of a woman's dress covering the body between the neck or shoulders and the waist.

3. Obsolete.,  stays or a corset.

bodice

/ ˈbɒdɪs /

noun

1. the upper part of a woman's dress, from the shoulder to the waist

2. a tight-fitting corset worn laced over a blouse, as in certain national costumes, or (formerly) as a woman's undergarment

Word History and Origins

Origin of bodice¹

1560–70; bodies, plural of body

Word History and Origins

Origin of bodice¹

C16: originally Scottish bodies , plural of _body

Example Sentences

The bodice was a deep-green silk embroidered with gold thread, and fitted snugly around her waist.

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Meanwhile, Harrison, who has modeled in campaigns for J. Crew and Topshop, wore a bodice and trousers with a sheer overlay on top.

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They dyed chiffon to match the skirt, and miraculously found two more originals on Etsy to cut to fit and reuse the beaded white bodice.

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Instead of the floor-length gown, this glamour shot showed Perry sporting the wet-hair look and a dress with a bodice resembling tarnished metal and a floral skirt.

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Pearls leaped from the hollow of her throat, bounced off her bodice, and peppered the floor.

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Related Words

• pullover 
• turtleneck