Womenswear

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A sector of fashion that focuses on clothing items tailored for women, which includes styles such as dresses, trousers, and blouses
2. An assortment of garments specifically made for women, ranging from casual attire to formal outfits
3. A category of fashion involving clothes designed exclusively for women, covering everything from everyday wear to elegant ensembles

Etymology: Womenswear is a compound built from three parts: "women," the plural of "woman," an interfix "-s-" that links the two halves, and "wear," the familiar word for clothing. Its shape is simple, but the pieces carry a long history. "Wear" descends from an Old English verb, "werian," which meant to clothe oneself or to put on garments, and it has been part of English since the earliest records of the language. The word itself is a plain modern formation, built the same way as "menswear" and "childrenswear" in the sense of clothing sold for a particular group of people. The "-s-" is a linking element rather than a plural marker of its own, which is why the word reads as a single unit: "women's wear" was written as two words, and the joined form took over. Its meaning stayed close to its parts throughout, referring to garments made or sold for women.

Synonyms: female clothing, ladieswear, womens' fashion, womens' apparel, feminine attire

Antonyms: menswear