brassière

A woman adjusts her brassière before getting dressed.

Definition

Noun: - A woman's undergarment: "brassière" refers to a piece of clothing worn by women to support the breasts, typically made of fabric with straps over the shoulders and a band around the chest. It is also commonly shortened to "bra."

Usage Examples

• (A supportive undergarment for daily wear.)
• (Undergarments designed for breast support.)

Advanced Usage

• "brassière" in fashion: In haute couture or lingerie contexts, "brassière" may be used to denote a specific type of structured, often decorative, undergarment.

  • The designer featured a lace brassière in the spring collection. (A decorative, structured undergarment.)

• "brassière" in medical contexts: Sometimes used in medical or anatomical discussions to refer to a supportive garment for the chest.

  • After surgery, she wore a medical brassière for support. (A specialized supportive garment.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bra (n): a common shortened form of "brassière," used in everyday language.

  • She prefers a wireless bra for comfort. (A shortened term for the same undergarment.)

• Bralette (n): a type of lightweight, often unlined brassière without underwire.

  • The bralette is popular for casual wear. (A simpler, less structured version of a brassière.)

Synonyms

• Undergarment: a piece of clothing worn under outer clothes.
• Lingerie: women's underwear and nightwear, often including brassières.

Related Idioms