dirndl
Americannoun
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a woman's dress with a close-fitting bodice and full skirt, commonly of colorful and strikingly patterned material, fashioned after Tyrolean peasant wear.
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a full, gathered skirt attached to a waistband or hip yoke.
-
any skirt with gathers at the waistband.
noun
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a woman's dress with a full gathered skirt and fitted bodice; originating from Tyrolean peasant wear
-
a gathered skirt of this kind
Etymology
Origin of dirndl
1935–40; < German Dirndl, short for Dirndlkleid, equivalent to Dirndl young woman (originally Bavarian, Austrian dialect, diminutive of Dirne young woman, Middle High German dierne, Old High German thiorna; akin to thane ) + Kleid dress ( see cloth)
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
At a recent show the ringleader wore a red dirndl with gray knee socks and black ankle boots.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 9, 2026
Among the outfits displayed are a pink tulle dress designed by Molly Goddard, a clown costume and a Bavarian dirndl dress and pig's mask combination.
From BBC ● Apr. 13, 2022
There’s candy and candles, hats and tchotchkes; you can get your photo taken in a dirndl with an accordion in your arms, or ride in a carriage hauled by a horse round and round.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 27, 2018
The broadcast musical trend kicked off with country singer Carrie Underwood in a dirndl.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 28, 2018
I was still wearing Betsy's white blouse and dirndl skirt.
From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
