Pinafore

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈpɪ.nəˌfɔ(ɹ)/

Definitions

1. A type of dress without sleeves that often has straps and is worn over other garments, serving both a protective and fashionable purpose
2. A sleeveless garment usually worn over a top that provides coverage while being both functional and stylish
3. A sleeveless outer garment typically fastened with straps, designed to be worn over other clothes for protection or decoration

Etymology: The garment's name is a literal instruction: it was something you pinned on. Early pinafores were an apron-like cover worn over a dress to protect it, fastened at the front with pins because they had no buttons. The name is a univerbation of "pin" and "afore", the older English word meaning "in front", so the whole thing reads as "pin in front." The word was later used for a sleeveless dress with straps, worn over a blouse or other clothing, which kept the protective job of the original apron while becoming a fashion item in its own right. The shift from a pinned-on cover to a complete garment in its own right is the main change in the word's history.

Synonyms: apron, smock, overall