negligee

noun

neg·​li·​gee ˌne-glə-ˈzhā 

ˈne-glə-ˌzhā

variants or less commonly negligé

1

: a woman's long flowing usually sheer dressing gown

2

: carelessly informal or incomplete attire

Examples of negligee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The image became so indelible that the negligee Simon wore was included in her exhibit at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame when she was inducted in 2022. —David Browne, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2025

Her long, glossy tresses cascaded down over a lace negligee that hugged her figure. . . . —Roland High, New Yorker, 3 June 2025

What was surprising, however, was seeing Stone’s choice of front row look for the occasion: The double Oscar-winning actor brought a dash of lingerie dressing to the City of Light, putting a modern stamp on classic black lace negligee. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 10 Mar. 2025

Those who didn’t want to go the sheer route—like Rihanna, Lisa, Tyla, and Addison Rae—instead opted for lingerie-like looks, taking their negligees from the bedrooms to the streets. —Irene Kim, Vogue, 21 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French négligé "casualness, casual or informal dress," from past participle of négliger "to disregard, neglect, treat carelessly," going back to Middle French negliger, borrowed from Latin neglegere, neclegere, necligere "to disregard, do nothing about, fail to care for" — more at neglect entry 1

First Known Use

1756, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

negligee

noun

neg·​li·​gee

variants also negligé

ˌneg-lə-ˈzhā 

1

: a woman's long flowing dressing gown

2

: carelessly informal clothes

Etymology

derived from French négligé, past participle of négliger "to neglect"