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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
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From Margot Robbie in Armani Privè, to Jenna Ortega in Givenchy by Sarah Burton — transparent gowns and sheer bodices with little fabric are having a big moment.
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Tanya Akim, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Wood, also up for an Emmy, wore a blush pink and red color-block gown with a bustier-style bodice and a pencil skirt that nods to old Hollywood glamour.
—Emily St. Martin, Oc Register, 15 Sep. 2025
The bodice was accented with crystals.
—Starr Bowenbank, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025
Paired with a slouchy (albeit Chanel) camel jacket and matching bag, the outfit felt like a deliberate steer away from the period-drama looks of late, a reminder that, despite the bodice-ripping fan edits, Robbie is very much the modern woman.
—Olivia Allen, Vogue, 12 Sep. 2025
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Tanya Akim, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Wood, also up for an Emmy, wore a blush pink and red color-block gown with a bustier-style bodice and a pencil skirt that nods to old Hollywood glamour.
—Emily St. Martin, Oc Register, 15 Sep. 2025
The bodice was accented with crystals.
—Starr Bowenbank, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2025
Paired with a slouchy (albeit Chanel) camel jacket and matching bag, the outfit felt like a deliberate steer away from the period-drama looks of late, a reminder that, despite the bodice-ripping fan edits, Robbie is very much the modern woman.
—Olivia Allen, Vogue, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bodice
Cite this Entry
“Bodice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bodice. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bodice
noun
bod·ice
ˈbäd-əs 
: the upper part of a dress
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