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

For this look specifically, Turzanska drew from the modularity of Elizabethan clothing, which allowed women to change skirts and sleeves on the same bodice — this one is made of wood bark cloth — creating new looks each time. —Clarissa Cruz, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Dec. 2025

For some costumes, including Glinda’s iconic bubble dress, the costume team went as far as dedicating up to 137 pattern pieces and 225 hours into hand-beading a singular bodice. —Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 4 Dec. 2025

Her button-up blouse featured wide, fluttery sleeves and a corset-style bodice, which added structure to the billowy silhouette. —Kelsey Stewart, Footwear News, 4 Dec. 2025

The ’50s dress is black and fitted, with spaghetti straps, a close-fit bodice, and arpeggiated a-line skirt, a hot pink satin lining, and row of blooming pink flowers across the bust. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 8 Nov. 2025

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