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

Two of my favorite picks include an under-$100 navy-blue number with a blouson bodice and a purple option with cap sleeves and a cowl back. —Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025

Geometric lines and shapes of black juxtaposed the sheer elements of the dress on the bodice and skirt. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 10 Dec. 2025

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

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