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

The 1998 slip dress was a vibrant yellow hue with bright magenta lining the hem and upper bodice, giving the optical illusion of a very trendy peekaboo bra. —Meg Walters, InStyle, 12 Apr. 2026

With a sheer bodice and swooping fabric coils across the chest, the look brought a fun, flirty vibe for the second dress of the evening. —Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026

And at last a heavy white satin dress with forty covered buttons up the back, a kick train, and a bodice trimmed with swirling sea creatures beaded of tiny pearls. —Literary Hub, 26 Mar. 2026

To accessorize her custom Givenchy by Sarah Burton gown — which featured a wisteria embroidery on its bodice and hemline — Fanning discovered that a Cartier necklace from 1903 likewise was crafted to resemble wisteria leaves. —Laurie Brookins, HollywoodReporter, 16 Mar. 2026

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

Rhymes for bodice

• addis
• goddess

Kids Definition

bodice

noun

bod·​ice ˈbäd-əs 

: the upper part of a dress