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 color block number had baby pink sleeves and a white bodice, with contrasting black details. —Christina Perrier, InStyle, 4 Mar. 2026

Gwyneth Paltrow dazzled in a sleeveless black Givenchy gown featuring a sheer bodice with a plunging V-neckline and lace overlay along with an embellished tea-length tulle skirt. —Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 2 Mar. 2026

Speaking of sexy, Kristen Wiig, to borrow Pop Crave’s verbiage, stunned in a black silk dress, and Taylor, who has walked every red carpet body-first, wore a trompe l’oeil couture dress by Thom Browne with an artsy and meticulously pieced-together anatomical bodice. —José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 2 Mar. 2026

The simple dress was crafted with a bevy of fabric ruching, short sleeves and the French luxury fashion house’s idiosyncratic keyhole cutout at the bodice. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 27 Feb. 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