blouse
pronunciation
How to pronounce blouse in British English:
UK [blaʊz]
How to pronounce blouse in American English:
US [blaʊs]
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- Noun:
- a top worn by women
Word Origin
- blouse (n.)
- 1828 (from 1822 as a French word in English), from French blouse, "workman's or peasant's smock" (1788), origin unknown. Perhaps akin to Provençal (lano) blouso "short (wool)" [Gamillscheg]. Another suggestion [Klein] is that it is from Medieval Latin pelusia, from Pelusium, a city in Upper Egypt, supposedly a clothing manufacturing center in the Middle Ages. In Paris, a very slovenly, loose, drawn frock, with most capacious sleeves, had been introduced called a blouse. Some of our priestesses of the toilet seemed emulous of copying this deshabille, with some slight alterations, but we never wish to see it on the symmetrical form of a British lady. ["Summary of Fashion for 1822," in "Museum of Foreign Literature and Science," Jan.-June 1823]
Example
- 1. I 'm wearing a blouse today .
- 2. Why 's her blouse open ? Her shoulder 's hurt !
- 3. Can I try on this blouse please ?
- 4. We also bought a purple blouse .
- 5. Where 's that blouse I bought you ?