bikini

noun

bi·​ki·​ni bə-ˈkē-nē 

plural bikinis

1

a

: a two-piece bathing suit worn by women that does not cover the midriff see also string bikini, tankini

b

: a short snug swimsuit worn by men

2

: a pair of low-cut briefs (see brief entry 2 sense 4)

Launched in May, the underwear brand for men and women includes bikinis, … G-strings and boxer briefs.

—Phyllis Furman

… ultra low-rise jeans with a built-in bikini or thong.

—Sunday Tribune (South Africa)

—often used before another noun

Bikini briefs are usually lower than the true waist, often at the hips.

—Clifford Pugh

bikinied adjective

or less commonly bikini'd

bə-ˈkē-nēd 

Examples of bikini in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The 28-year-old model and businesswoman posted a series of photos on Instagram from a recent beach getaway, featuring a few cheeky snaps of her in a bikini. —Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 9 Nov. 2025

In 2020, Kendall Jenner celebrated the family matriarch on Mother's Day by sharing a video of a younger Kris playing tennis in a bikini. —Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025

In a clip posted to Instagram, Nicole — who dated Travis Kelce on and off from 2017 to 2022 — rocks a purple bikini topped by a revealing dress made of sparkly silver netting. —Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 31 Oct. 2025

In true Ashanti fashion, the jet-setting star spent her special day in a bikini on an island. —Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 27 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, from Bikini, atoll of the Marshall Islands

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing bikini

• bikini wax
• string bikini

Rhymes for bikini

• acini
• aldine
• arsine
• carinii
• cosine
• delphine
• domine
• latine
• leucine
• ovine
• pennine
• porcine

Kids Definition

bikini

noun

bi·​ki·​ni bə-ˈkē-nē 

: a scanty two-piece bathing suit for a girl or woman

Etymology

from French bikini "two-piece bathing suit," from Bikini, atoll in the Marshall Islands

Geographical Definition

Bikini

geographical name

Bi·​ki·​ni bi-ˈkē-nē 

island (atoll) of the Marshall Islands

Note: Bikini was the site of U.S. atomic bomb tests in 1946 and hydrogen bomb tests in 1954 and 1956.

Bikinian

bi-ˈkē-nē-ən 

noun