leotard

American  

[lee-uh-tahrd] / ˈli əˌtɑrd /

noun

• leotards
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• leotards
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of leotard

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

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Compare meaning

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

• unitard vs. leotard

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

leotard leotards

She already had the beauty and brains, all she’d need was an alias, a leotard and a notebook.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 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

“Does your leotard make you itch too?” he asked Mia.

From "Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina" by Michaela DePrince

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

“The Shards” may be set in the ’80s, but don’t expect any neon leotards.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 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

I wore jeans, a large gray T-shirt, and steel-toed boots; the other girls wore black leotards and sheer, shimmering skirts, white tights and tiny ballet shoes the color of taffy.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

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