English Explanatory Dictionary

petticoat

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A tight, usually padded undercoat worn by women over a shirt and under the doublet.
  2. A woman's undercoat, worn to be displayed beneath an open gown.
  3. A fisherman's loose canvas or oilcloth skirt.
  4. A type of ornamental skirt or underskirt, often displayed below a dress; chiefly in plural, designating a woman's skirts collectively.
  5. A light woman's undergarment worn under a dress or skirt, and hanging either from the shoulders or (now especially) from the waist; a kind of slip, worn to make the skirt fuller, or for extra warmth.
  6. A woman.
  7. A bell-mouthed piece over the exhaust nozzles in the smokebox of a locomotive, strengthening and equalising the draught through the boiler-tubes.
verb
  1. To dress in a petticoat.
adj
  1. Feminine; female; involving a woman.

Pronunciation

/ˈpɛt.ɪ.kəʊt/ /ˈpɛt.ɪ.koʊt/ [ˈpɛɾ.ɪ.koʊt] /ˈpet.ɪ.kəʉt/ [ˈpeɾ.ɪ.kəʉt] En-au-petticoat.ogg /ˈpɛtɪkət/

Word forms

petticoat petticoats petticoating petticoated

Etymology

From Middle English petticote, petycote, peticote, petite cote, equivalent to petty + coat.

Synonyms

underskirt

Derived words

petticoat breeches petticoat discipline petticoated petticoatery petticoat government petticoating petticoatless petticoat pipe petticoat punishment petticoat tail pettiloon pettipants pettiskirt underpetticoat
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