Definition

Noun: 1. A loose, often sheer, dressing gown for women, typically worn over nightwear: A garment made of lightweight, delicate fabric, such as silk, chiffon, or lace, designed to be worn informally at home, especially in the bedroom. It is characteristically flowing and fastened at the front.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • She put on a silk negligee after her evening bath.
  • The negligee was trimmed with delicate lace along the edges.
  • It was a comfortable, knee-length negligee perfect for lounging.

Advanced Usage

• The term can imply a garment that is both comfortable and designed to be aesthetically pleasing or alluring.
• Historically, the negligee evolved from informal "undress" worn in private chambers.

Variants and Related Words

• Negligée: An alternative spelling, often used to emphasize the French origin of the word.
• Peignoir: A very close synonym, also meaning a woman's dressing gown, sometimes used interchangeably with "negligee."
• Dressing gown: A more general term for a robe worn over nightwear; a negligee is a specific, often more decorative, type of dressing gown.
• Housecoat: A more utilitarian, less decorative robe for wearing around the home.

Synonyms

• Dressing gown
• Robe (in the context of loungewear)
• Peignoir
• Wrapper (archaic)

Antonyms

• Formalwear
• Outerwear
• Uniform

Related Phrases

• In her negligee: Describing a state of informal, private dress.
  • She answered the door early in the morning, still in her negligee.

Noun

1. a loose dressing gown for women