Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A woman's sleeveless undergarment, now usually worn under a sheer blouse.
- n. A short negligee.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. A short light garment with sleeves, usually of material that will wash, worn by women as a dressing-sack or in morning-dress.
- n. A strait-jacket.
Wiktionary
- n. A light jacket with sleeves.
- n. A short, sleeveless undergarment worn by women underneath a blouse, or as a form of short negligee.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. A short dressing jacket for women.
- n. A kind of straitjacket.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a short sleeveless undergarment for women
- n. a short negligee
Etymologies
- French (from Italian camiciola, diminutive of camicia, shirt) or from Old Provençal camisolla, diminutive of camisa, shirt, both from Late Latin camisia, camīsa; see chemise.
Examples
“A camisole is a woman's sleeveless often lace trimmed undergarment for the upper body, worn as under a sheer blouse.”
“A camisole is a type of straitjacket; and a very convenient type it is for those who resort to such methods of restraint, for it enables them to deny the use of strait-jackets at all.”
A Mind That Found Itself
“Along with the word lingerie used in place of undergarments, other terms changed to reflect the emphasis on seduction; the shift was first called a camisole and then simply known as a “slip” by this period, drawers turning into knickers and petticoats into “frillies “.”
“I hide most of the damage with a white camisole and my black Elie Tahari power suit.”
“Her hair was greasy, and her camisole was stained with food.”
“Her camisole shifted, hanging down to reveal her bony chest.”
“Kit picked herself off the cellar floor, her arms wrapped around her body as curls of smoke arose from what was left of her camisole.”
“The back of her camisole was almost completely burned away, though the skin beneath was smooth and untouched.”
“With her black leggings and camisole she looked like a punk angel.”
“Grunting, he threw it behind him, along with her silk camisole, panties and lace bra.”
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seanahan And I'll say your camisole was a sprightly light magenta
When in fact it was a nappy bluish grey Jan 21, 2007