merry widow

noun

1. a woman's undergarment consisting of a strapless brassiere and short corset with attached garters.

Word History and Origins

Origin of merry widow¹

First recorded in 1950–55; named after The Merry Widow, an operetta (1905) by Franz Lehár ( def. ); formerly a trademark

Example Sentences

She transported audiences to Edwardian London with a cheeky medley of songs from My Fair Lady, and scaled the heights with her rendition of Vilja Song – the nostalgic showpiece of Franz Lehár's operetta The Merry Widow.

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One day, it’s the hot new thing, perhaps even defining its era; next, it’s “The Merry Widow.”

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He won a Grammy for writing the libretto for “The Merry Widow” featuring Beverly Sills.

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Mr. Harnick also became an accomplished opera translator, providing English librettos for classical works like Lehar’s “The Merry Widow,” Stravinsky’s “The Soldier’s Tale” and Bizet’s “Carmen.”

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She styled the tailored look with a headpiece featuring a crinoline base with a layer of tulle and merry widow veiling, adorned with a ribbon bow.

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