lingerie
Americannoun
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underwear, sleepwear, and other items of intimate apparel worn by women.
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Archaic. linen goods in general.
adjective
noun
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women's underwear and nightwear
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archaic linen goods collectively
Etymology
Origin of lingerie
First recorded in 1825–35; from French, from Middle French linge “linen” (from Latin līneus “flaxen”; see line 1) + -erie -ery
Explanation
Ladies wear lingerie as undergarments or sleepwear. When you go the department store, instead of asking, “Where do you keep the underpants?” you could say, “Will you please direct me to the lingerie department?” The noun lingerie, pronounced "lahn-zhuh-RAY" by most Americans, comes from the French word lingerie, which means “things made of linen.” In English, lingerie has a bit of a racy connotation, because if you use this word instead of the more common underwear, you are probably talking about silk and lace — fancy underthings that aren't meant for everyday wear.
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.
Lingerie firm Victoria's Secret has taken down its US website and says it has halted some in-store services following what it has described as a "security incident".
From BBC • May 29, 2025
Trashy Lingerie was founded in 1973 by a local shoe designer, Mitch Shrier, and his wife, Tracy, who are Randy’s parents.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2025
“It launched itself like a bullet through the door. It was very shocking,” Curvaceous Lingerie owner Lauren Palmer told WZZM-TV.
From Washington Times • Nov. 7, 2023
There’s an account called Lingerie Addict who tweeted a list of counterpoints people made at her when talking about fast fashion, and I’ve seen all the same counterpoints.
From Slate • Jan. 26, 2023
Interior of the Library of the Jesuits at Rheims, now the Lingerie de l'Hôpital Général.
From The Care of Books by Clark, John Willis
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.
