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

Nigerian actress Temi Otedola oozed the mystery of a film noir femme fatale in a floor-length black coat, tightly cinched with the lacy hint of a negligee peeking out beneath. —Ian Malone, Vogue, 4 Mar. 2024

Elisa Benzoni’s elegant period costumes include modest bustiers, negligees and silk robes. —Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Jan. 2024

Wafting about in a flowy, sky-blue negligee, Rachel Bay Jones’ lady of leisure is daft but sweet and accidentally profound. —Naveen Kumar, Variety, 22 Oct. 2023

The negligee style hangs from your collarbone down to your mid-chest and adds just a hint of a sparkle with two cubic zirconia stones on either end of the vertical section. —Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 2 May 2023

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"