Word Verb
undress
v.
C2 Proficiency US /ənˈdɹɛs/ UK /ʌndɹˈɛs/ un·dress UK spelling undresses
Definition
v.to remove your clothes. This is an old-fashioned word that people rarely use today.
v.to remove one's clothing. Archaic in modern usage; typically found in historical texts or specific literary contexts.
Examples
“She had to undress before going to bed.”
“The old diary entry describes how he would undress by the fire before the winter nights began.”
“In the historical novel, the protagonist is often seen undressing by the window to feel the warmth of the morning sun before the rest of the household wakes.”
Etymology
From Middle English undressen, equivalent to un- + dress. Compare Old English unsċrȳdan (“to undress”, literally “un-shroud”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
This entry
Origin Middle English undressen
Level C2 · Proficiency
Frequency Occasional
Updated