negligee
pronunciation
How to pronounce negligee in British English:
UK [ˌneglɪˈʒeɪ, ˈneglɪˌʒeɪ]
How to pronounce negligee in American English:
US [ˌnɛɡlɪˈʒe, ˈnɛɡlɪˌʒe]
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- Noun:
- a loose dressing gown for women
Word Origin
- negligee (n.)
- 1756, "a kind of loose gown worn by women," from French négligée, noun use of fem. past participle of négligier "to neglect" (14c.), from Latin neglegere "to disregard, not heed, not trouble oneself about," also "to make light of" (see neglect (v.)). So called in comparison to the elaborate costume of a fully dressed woman of the period. Grose ["Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue," 1788] reports it "vulgarly termed a neggledigee." Borrowed again, 1835; the modern sense "semi-transparent, flimsy, lacy dressing gown" is yet another revival, first recorded 1930. It also was used in the U.S. funeral industry mid-20c. for "shroud of a corpse."
Example
- 1. You might want to slip into your negligee .
- 2. So I got home , and she 's wearing her negligee .
- 3. Wrap up your prettiest negligee in a fancy package , complete with a note that promises a romantic evening .
- 4. She lay there , waiting for him , wearing the negligee from their wedding night , believing that he would come to her as he had always come to her , as if this were some sort of a fresh start .
- 5. Tink , " he rapped out , " if you don 't get up and dress at once I will open the curtains , and then we shall all see you in your negligee [ nightgown ] .