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sari

American  
[sahr-ee] / ˈsɑr i /
Or saree

noun

saris plural
  1. a garment worn by Hindu women, consisting of a long piece of cotton or silk wrapped around the body with one end draped over the head or over one shoulder.


sari British  
/ ˈsɑːrɪ /

noun

  1. the traditional dress of women of India, Pakistan, etc, consisting of a very long narrow piece of cloth elaborately swathed around the body

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of sari

1570–80; < Hindi sāṛī < Sanskrit śāṭī

Explanation

A sari is a piece of clothing that South Asian women often wear. If you go to a wedding in India, you'll probably see the bride wearing a red silk sari. A sari consists of one very long piece of fabric that's wrapped around the body and draped over a shoulder, and garments worn underneath, including a short-sleeved blouse. The style and fabric of a sari, as well as the way it's worn, varies between different regions and traditions. You can also spell this word saree. It comes from the Hindi sari and the Sanskrit root sati, "garment" or "petticoat."

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Vocabulary lists containing sari

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.

Nada Reda Abu Sari, 82, however, has not stayed by choice.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

In a separate announcement Thursday, Nokia said that board Chair Sari Baldauf will step down, with board member Timo Ihamuotila proposed for election as the new chair.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

He’s meeting a Portsmouth ship arriving from India bearing his second cousin, Angela and — a surprise to Lenox — her lifelong friend and companion, an Indian girl named Sari.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 29, 2025

Wolverhampton-born Syal will read Amma's Sari by Sandhya Parappukaran, a story about connection with family and the celebration of cultural heritage, on CBeebies from 18:50 BST on Friday.

From BBC • Aug. 9, 2024

The most desperate engagements in the last days of August had for their object the capture of Hill 60, close to Sari Bair.

From The Irish at the Front by MacDonagh, Michael

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