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shirtwaist

American  
[shurt-weyst] / ˈʃɜrtˌweɪst /

noun

  1. a tailored blouse or shirt worn by women.

  2. Also called shirt-dress.  Also called shirtwaist dress,.  Also called shirtwaister.  a dress with a bodice and a front opening tailored like those of a dress shirt.


Etymology

Origin of shirtwaist

First recorded in 1875–80; shirt + waist

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.

Operating these new technologies were an army of young women clad in tailor-mades, or coordinating jackets and skirts, and easy-to-launder cotton shirtwaists, or blouses—all early triumphs of New York’s nascent ready-to-wear industry.

From The Wall Street Journal

An opening scene shows Gold swapping her designer dress with a refugee’s dirty shirtwaist to allow the woman to blend more easily into society.

From Los Angeles Times

It was introduced on March 25, the 111th anniversary of the Triangle shirtwaist factory fire, which set in motion so many fundamental workplace reforms.

From New York Times

Today, a shadowbox containing a miniature shirtwaist dress embroidered with the names of the 146 garment workers killed in the fire marks that address.

From New York Times

The shirtwaist dress made Halston famous, a largely forgotten credit along with many of his other ready-to-wear mass market designs.

From Salon