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The Fashionable History of Bodice
The term bodice is derived from body. One sense of the word body is “the part of a garment covering the body or trunk.” In the 17th and 18th centuries a woman’s corset was often called a “pair of bodies.” The plural bodies, or bodice, was eventually interpreted as a singular. Bodice is now most often used to refer to the upper part of a woman’s dress.
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Examples of bodice in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
It’s made from organic cotton gauze and features a smocked bodice for a comfy, flexible fit.
—
Destinee Scott, Travel + Leisure, 20 May 2026
The dress was cast in a shade chocolaty brown and featured a statement-making keyhole cutout on the bodice.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 20 May 2026
There was no traditional train, bodice, or scrap of lace to be found.
—Laura Scafati, Vanity Fair, 19 May 2026
Joan Collins wore an architectural white gown with sculptural ruffles around the shoulders and bodice.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026
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Destinee Scott, Travel + Leisure, 20 May 2026
The dress was cast in a shade chocolaty brown and featured a statement-making keyhole cutout on the bodice.
—Julia Teti, Footwear News, 20 May 2026
There was no traditional train, bodice, or scrap of lace to be found.
—Laura Scafati, Vanity Fair, 19 May 2026
Joan Collins wore an architectural white gown with sculptural ruffles around the shoulders and bodice.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for bodice
Cite this Entry
“Bodice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bodice. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bodice
noun
bod·ice
ˈbäd-əs 
: the upper part of a dress
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