pinafore

American  

[pin-uh-fawr, -fohr] / ˈpɪn əˌfɔr, -ˌfoʊr /

noun

• pinafores
  plural

1. a child's apron, usually large enough to cover the dress and sometimes trimmed with flounces.

2. a woman's sleeveless garment derived from it, low-necked, tying or buttoning in the back, and worn as an apron or as a dress, usually over a blouse, a sweater, or another dress.

3. Chiefly British.

   1. a large apron worn by adults.

   2. a sleeveless smock.

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pinafore British  

/ ˈpɪnəˌfɔː /

noun

1. an apron, esp one with a bib

2. short for pinafore dress

3. an overdress buttoning at the back

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• pinafores
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of pinafore

First recorded in 1775–85; pin + afore

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Explanation

A little girl in a British novel might wear a pinafore — a white, apron-like garment worn over a dress — but you probably won't see pinafores on the runways. The word pinafore, designating a sleeveless child's dress worn over other clothing, has moved on from its original meaning, which can still be seen lurking in the word itself. It was originally a protective apron "pinned afore," or over, one's clothes. These days, a pinafore is primarily worn by a young girl, and in Britain it's called a pinny for short.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pinafore pinafores

On one trip, then 6-year-old Bridget won a Laura look-alike contest in a handmade pinafore and bonnet sewn by her grandmother.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

Simone Collins is sitting in her 18th century cottage in Pennsylvania, dressed in a black pilgrim pinafore with a wide collar, bouncing one of her four children on her lap.

From BBC ● Apr. 1, 2025

“I love the scale of the check. I thought it harked back to the original pinafore she wore in the first ‘Beetlejuice,’” says Atwood.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 24, 2024

It looked like old lady clothes, but also the pinafore type of things.

From New York Times ● May 4, 2022

We went into the house, and I managed to wash my hands and change into a clean pinafore without notice.

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly

It is seeking donations of good-quality, unbranded uniform items, including polo shirts, pinafores and PE shorts.

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

In photos I saw when she was a kid and I was a kid, she looked like one of us, in pinafores and high pigtails, or Benetton sweaters and frizzy hair.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 13, 2023

Her practical stretchy jersey dresses, pinafores with Peter Pan collars, PVC raincoats and flat shoes are showcased against a backdrop of vibrant Pop Art illustrations.

From New York Times ● Apr. 4, 2019

Gingham and prints of island life added girlish charm to the relaxed shapes, which included pieces like pinafores, low-slung shorts and men's style shirts.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 15, 2012

Mama had sewn red velvet dresses with white eyelet pinafores for Mia and me.

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

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Related Words

• apparel
• attire
• costume
• ensemble
• frock
• garb
• gown
• robe
• skirt
• smock
• suit
• uniform
• wardrobe

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