noun / verb
corset
KOR-sit/ˈkɔːrsɪt/
A close-fitting garment or brace that supports or shapes the torso.
She wears a corset under her dress to shape her waist.
Etymology
A diminutive of “body” named a bodice or close-fitting body garment. The meaning later narrowed to the stiff, constricting undergarment used to support the waist and shape the figure.
In context
instead of wearing colonial attire -- a tight corset and a gown layered in silk finished with pearls --
A pair of stays was a sort of early example of a corset.
More examples
- The doctor prescribes a medical corset to support his lower back.
- The costume designer corsets the actor before fitting the gown.
- She loosens her corset after dinner.
Forms
corset · corsets · corseted · corseting
corsetry noun — The making or wearing of corsets.