# bodice

/ˈbɑdɪs/ (US) · /bˈɒdɪs/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bodice
Updated: 2026-10-18

## Definition

the top part of a dress that covers your chest and fits close to your body.

For teachers: the fitted upper portion of a dress or gown, covering the torso from shoulders to waist.

## Examples

- She wears a dress with a blue bodice.
- The tailor adjusts the bodice so the wedding dress fits tightly around the shoulders and waist.
- The museum gown displayed an embroidered silk bodice whose tight lacing revealed how nineteenth-century fashion shaped both posture and social expectations.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.