leotard

American  

[lee-uh-tahrd] / ˈli əˌtɑrd /

noun

1. a skintight, one-piece garment for the torso, having a high or low neck, long or short sleeves, and a lower portion resembling either briefs or tights, worn by acrobats, dancers, etc.

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leotard British  

/ ˈlɪəˌtɑːd /

noun

1. a tight-fitting garment covering the body from the shoulders down to the thighs and worn by acrobats, ballet dancers, etc

2. (plural) another name for tights

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Etymology

Origin of leotard

1915–20; named after Jules Léotard, 19th-century French aerialist

Compare meaning

How does leotard compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• unitard vs. leotard

Example Sentences

There were cheers for the policeman on stage in a fat suit doing pelvic thrusts, and the woman in a leotard and tights shredding a portrait of Vladimir Putin.

From BBC

“I’m still in shock that those leg warmers and leotards caught on the way they did,” Fonda wrote to supporters in April.

From Los Angeles Times

Asked what the flamboyant star would have worn, his bandmate replied: "I think it would be formal. He wouldn't do the short shorts or the leotard. He'd be in tails, very elegant."

From BBC

With a wink and a flick of her ponytail, Sue and six other dancers — all sporting shiny, one-piece leotards with gratuitous cutouts — begin to gyrate, thrust, and squat to throbbing electronic music.

From Salon

She was in the John Lewis store in Brent Cross, west London with her children to find a leotard, tutu and tights for her three-year-old daughter Emily, who was about to start ballet lessons.

From BBC

Related Words

• hosiery
• pantyhose