# stays

/ˈsteɪz/ (US) · /stˈeɪz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stays
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 3. historical corset

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

a stiff piece of underwear worn by women in the past to shape their bodies.

For teachers: a historical term for a corset or a stiffened undergarment worn to support the torso.

- In the 18th century, women wore stays made of whalebone to keep their posture straight.
- The museum's textile collection includes several well-preserved pairs of eighteenth-century stays, illustrating the restrictive nature of period fashion.

## Examples

- We enjoyed our stays at the beach house.
- The hotel offers a discount for guests who book extended stays of more than seven nights.
- While her previous stays in the capital had been brief and professional, this month-long residency allowed her to explore the city's hidden cultural history.

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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.