leotard
/'li:ətɑ:d/
Definition
- Noun:
- A tight-fitting, one-piece garment made of stretchy material, covering the torso from the shoulders to the upper thighs or sometimes extending to cover the legs and arms. It is primarily worn by dancers, acrobats, gymnasts, and other performers for practice or performance.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The ballet dancers wore black leotards and pink tights for their rehearsal.
- She put on a leotard before starting her gymnastics warm-up.
- This dance class requires students to wear a leotard and ballet shoes.
Advanced Usage
- "Unitard" vs. "Leotard": A leotard typically ends at the thighs or hips, while a is a similar one-piece garment that extends to cover the legs fully, like a bodysuit with long legs.
- As practice wear: The term is often used in contexts describing training attire for physical activities beyond dance, such as yoga, pilates, or general fitness in the late 20th century.
- In the 1980s, wearing a brightly colored leotard with leg warmers was a popular fitness fashion.
Variants and Related Words
- Unitard (n): A close-fitting, one-piece garment with long legs and sometimes long sleeves.
- Bodysuit (n): A similar, tight-fitting garment, often with snaps at the crotch, worn as casual or fashion wear, not necessarily for performance.
- Maillot (n): A term, often used in fashion or for swimwear, that can refer to a one-piece, tight-fitting garment similar to a leotard.
Synonyms
- Body stocking: A close-fitting, often sheer, one-piece garment covering the torso and legs.
- Tights (in some contexts, though tights are typically footed and cover the legs fully).
Related Phrases
- To wear a leotard: The standard phrase for putting on this garment.
- All actors in the circus scene had to wear a leotard under their costumes.
Related Idioms
Noun
-
a tight-fitting garment of stretchy material that covers the body from the shoulders to the thighs (and may have long sleeves or legs reaching down to the ankles); worn by ballet dancers and acrobats for practice or performance
