Definition

1. Noun:
   • A woman's undergarment worn to give shape to the contours of the body: A foundation garment is a piece of intimate apparel designed to mold, smooth, and support the torso, creating a desired silhouette under outer clothing.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • She wore a foundation garment under her wedding dress to achieve a smooth line.
  • Modern foundation garments are often more comfortable than the corsets of the past.

Advanced Usage

• "The foundation of a good outfit": Used metaphorically to emphasize the foundational garment's role in creating the overall look.
  • A proper foundation garment is the foundation of a good outfit, ensuring everything hangs correctly.

Variants and Related Words

• Corset (n): A close-fitting foundation garment, often stiffened with bones, worn to shape the waist and torso.
  • Historical corsets were a type of restrictive foundation garment.
• Girdle (n): A foundation garment that encircles the lower torso, typically to shape the hips and waist.
  • She preferred a light girdle as her everyday foundation garment.
• Shapewear (n): A modern term for foundation garments designed to control and shape the figure.
  • Shapewear is the contemporary term for many types of foundation garments.

Synonyms

• Undergarment: A general term for any garment worn under outer clothes.
• Corsetry: Refers to foundation garments collectively, especially those that are boned or structured.

Related Phrases

(Note: "Foundation garment" itself is not typically used in phrasal verbs. The related phrases below involve its function or components.) - To provide foundation: To give essential support or shape. - This bodysuit is designed to provide foundation for the midsection.

Related Idioms

• "The foundation of something": The base or underlying support for something. While not an idiom using the exact phrase "foundation garment," this idiom relates to the core meaning of "foundation."
  • Trust is the foundation of a strong relationship.

Noun

1. a woman's undergarment worn to give shape to the contours of the body