deshabille

American  

[dez-uh-beel, -bee] / ˌdɛz əˈbil, -ˈbi /

noun

1. a variant of dishabille.

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deshabille British  

/ ˌdeɪzæˈbiːl /

noun

1. the state of being partly or carelessly dressed

2. archaic clothes worn in such a state

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Etymology

Origin of deshabille

C17: from French déshabillé undressed, from dés- _dis- ¹ + habiller to dress; see _habiliment

Example Sentences

Flinging on a bathrobe and whistling to his great boar hound, he sought that worthy, en deshabille.

From Time Magazine Archive

"Nine pieces for my coat and the rest," said Sir Asinus persuasively; "it is really impolite to be playing with your Excellency in such deshabille as this."

From The Youth of Jefferson A Chronicle of College Scrapes at Williamsburg, in Virginia, A.D. 1764 by Anonymous

And so they walked up stairs and into the drawing-room, and sent their compliments to Mrs. Sturk, who came down in deshabille, with her things pinned about her, and all over smiles.

From The House by the Church-Yard by Le Fanu, Joseph Sheridan

After pressing the electric bell a dozen times at least, Winter appeared in deshabille, inclined to grumble.

From Lord John in New York by Williamson, A. M. (Alice Muriel)

Examples of foreign words which we could hardly replace by English expressions are blasé, tête-à-tête, brusque, bourgeois, deshabille.

From Stories That Words Tell Us by O'Neill, Elizabeth (Elizabeth Speakman)