Bodices

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A closely fitted piece of clothing that contours the upper body The part of an outfit typically covering the chest and supporting the figure, reaching down to the waist A distinctive element in women's apparel that often features decorative details and shaping elements for style enhancement
2. A garment worn tightly around the chest and waist area to shape and support the torso
3. An item of women's clothing that fits snugly over the upper body, often enhancing posture and silhouette

Etymology: The plural "bodices" is the form of "bodice," which is itself the plural of "body" in an older sense: the "body" of a dress, meaning the upper part that covers the torso. For centuries, a pair of "bodies" was a single garment, a sort of stiffened undergarment laced at the front or back to shape the figure. The singular "bodice" arose from that plural, so the word we use for a single item of this kind is grammatically a form of a word that once described a pair. Because "body" was used for the trunk of a garment, the form that survived in English is the plural. Speakers treated "bodies" as if it were a singular noun and then created a new plural from it, giving us "bodices." The word thus carries a small reversal inside it: a plural that became the name of one thing, and a singular that later took its own plural.

Synonyms: corsets, tops, blouses