Word
lingerie
Phoneticslin·gerie
US/ˈɫɑnʒɝˌeɪ/
UK/lˈɒnʒəɹˌi/
Definitions
01underwear
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. women's underwear or nightclothes, often made of lace or silk.
n. women's undergarments or nightwear, particularly those designed for aesthetic appeal or made from delicate fabrics. Uncountable in usage.
“The shop on the corner sells expensive silk lingerie and nightgowns.”
“The boutique specialises in handmade lace lingerie, catering to a luxury market that values traditional craftsmanship over mass-produced garments.”
Synonyms
02linen goods
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Archaic
n. an old word for items made of linen, such as shirts or sheets.
n. linen goods collectively, including underclothing and household linens. This sense is largely obsolete in modern general-service English.
“In the old inventory, the word lingerie referred to all the family's linen sheets.”
“Historical records from the nineteenth century often use the term lingerie to describe the entire stock of a linen draper's shop.”
Usage
Usually found in historical texts or when discussing the etymology of the modern word.
Synonyms
Etymology
Borrowed from French lingerie (“linen closet”). The irregular pronunciation is a hyperforeignism; it may derive from the frequent shift of /ɛ̃/ (which is this word's first vowel in standard French) toward /ɑ̃/ or [æ̃] in European French, which also tends to be drifted towards /ɔ̃/.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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