leotard
Americannoun
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leotards
plural
noun
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a tight-fitting garment covering the body from the shoulders down to the thighs and worn by acrobats, ballet dancers, etc
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(plural) another name for tights
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of leotard
1915–20; named after Jules Léotard, 19th-century French aerialist
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How does leotard compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
The tight, stretchy, one-piece garment that gymnasts and dancers wear is called a leotard. If you take a ballet class, you may wear a leotard and tights. Leotards are worn by performers and athletes of many types, including figure skaters, ballerinas, acrobats, superheroes, aerobics instructors, and more. While a leotard leaves the legs bare, a unitard covers the legs as well. The French acrobat Jules Léotard is credited with inventing the leotard, although he called it a maillot. The leotard came to be named for Léotard in 1886, long after his death.
Vocabulary lists containing leotard
You Name It: Eponyms
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Curtain Call: Dance and Theater Terms
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2015 Spelling Bee - Words from Round 2
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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.
See Examples For:
I wrangle her into those tights and leotard because I will always believe dance gives me the best life lessons.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
Poised on a colorful, carpeted platform in a gleaming leotard, with a hefty brown braid of hair falling over one shoulder, Folan would spend her program reaching, bending, breathing and twisting her limbs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 8, 2026
One is familiar and increasingly specific: a good leotard, fleece-lined tights, an extra water bottle, Band-Aids for blisters, putty-colored flats for barre, a pair of low, strappy heels for salsa.
From Salon ● Jan. 1, 2026
“In six years of showgirling, this has been my worst summer,” said a different young woman, this one dressed in a purple leotard.
From Slate ● Nov. 18, 2025
“Well, let me know what size leotard I need to join you.”
From "Monday's Not Coming" by Tiffany D. Jackson
To market herself, Kusama adopted an outlandish persona, donning brightly colored bobbed wigs, and red leotards or dot-covered gowns for public appearances.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
Delpierre marvels at the thousands of garments, ranging from vests and tunics to dresses and leotards displayed in a large warehouse near Geneva.
From Barron's ● Feb. 12, 2026
It was in 1972 that Bowie first adopted his most famous alter ego, Ziggy Stardust, complete with flared jumpsuits and sparkling leotards.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2024
Photos show a bright, bubbly girl modeling evening dresses, high-end workout gear and dance leotards.
From New York Times ● Feb. 22, 2024
They were dressed in identical shiny, purple leotards with matching supershort shorts, pink tights, and pink leg warmers.
From "The Cinderella Ballet Mystery: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #4" by Carolyn Keene
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.
