Trousseaus

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A collection of garments and personal items prepared by a bride for her marriage
2. A set of clothing and household goods assembled by a bride-to-be in anticipation of her wedding
3. Items including attire and linen that a bride gathers to start her new life after marriage

Etymology: "Trousseaus" is the plural of "trousseau," an inflected form, and the singular is the word that carries the history. It came into English in the 1700s from French "trousseau," meaning a bundle or little bundle, a diminutive of "trousse," a bundle or packing up, which goes back to Old French "trousse," from the verb "trousser," to tie up or pack. The original sense was simply a bundle of things tied together, and the wedding meaning developed from the idea of a bride's belongings being packed up to travel to her new household.

Synonyms: dowries, bride's trousseaux