# mannequin

/ˈmænəkɪn/ (US) · /mˈænɪkwˌɪn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mannequin
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. clothing display

noun · CEFR B2

a life-size model of a person used to show clothes in a shop window.

For teachers: a life-sized anatomical model used by retailers to display clothing or by tailors for fitting garments.

- The shop window featured a mannequin dressed in a bright red winter coat.
- Visual merchandisers spent hours posing the mannequins to create a dynamic scene that would attract passersby into the flagship store.

### 2. medical/training model

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a model of a human body used for medical training, like learning how to save someone's life.

For teachers: an anatomical model of the human body used for clinical training, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation or surgical simulation.

- The students practiced chest compressions on a plastic mannequin during the first aid class.
- Advanced medical mannequins can now simulate realistic physiological responses, allowing residents to practice complex procedures in a controlled environment.

### 3. artist's model

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a small model with moving joints that artists use to study how the body moves.

For teachers: a jointed, often wooden, model of the human body used by artists to study anatomy, proportion, or the fall of drapery.

- The artist adjusted the wooden mannequin to get the arm position right for the painting.
- Before hiring a live model, the illustrator used a jointed mannequin to block out the complex foreshortening required for the action sequence.

### 4. fashion model

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

an old word for a person whose job is to wear and show new clothes.

For teachers: a person employed to model clothing; this usage is largely superseded by the term 'model' in contemporary English.

- In the old film, the lead actress played a mannequin at a famous fashion house.
- The mid-century fashion house employed several mannequins to walk through the salon and showcase the latest haute couture collection to wealthy clients.

## Examples

- The shop window has a mannequin wearing a red dress.
- The visual merchandiser spent the morning dressing every mannequin in the new summer collection to attract customers.
- While early versions were made of wax or wood, the modern mannequin is typically constructed from durable fiberglass to withstand the frequent changes of a retail environment.

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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.