bodice

noun

bod·​ice ˈbä-dəs 

1

: the upper part of a woman's dress

2

archaic : corset, stays

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The Fashionable History of Bodice

The term bodice is derived from body. One sense of the word body is “the part of a garment covering the body or trunk.” In the 17th and 18th centuries a woman’s corset was often called a “pair of bodies.” The plural bodies, or bodice, was eventually interpreted as a singular. Bodice is now most often used to refer to the upper part of a woman’s dress.

Learn more about bodice history

Examples of bodice in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2024, Swift wore a white strapless Schiaparelli gown with a thigh-high slit and structured bodice, accessorizing with black opera gloves and layered necklaces. —Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 23 Apr. 2024

The dress had been constructed from a boudoir-ish bodice, which distended into a full-skirted ballgown, giving the impression of deliberate deshabillé, as if the design had been left unfinished on the mannequin. —Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 17 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

alteration of bodies, plural of body entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing bodice

• bodice ripper

Kids Definition

bodice

noun

bod·​ice ˈbäd-əs 

: the upper part of a dress