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camisole

Apparel
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A sleeveless, lightweight undergarment covering the upper body, often made of silk or cotton, appearing in poetry as a marker of private sensuality and the intimate moments before sleep or love.

Detailed Definition
The camisole, with its delicate straps and fine fabrics, is a garment of the boudoir and the bedroom, and its poetic usage is almost exclusively confined to scenes of intimacy, reverie, or illness. Unlike the corset, which constrains, the camisole is soft and yielding, suggesting ease and self-possession. Poets describe its lace trim or its ribbon ties as small, precious details that frame the neck and shoulders. In love poetry, a camisole left on a chair becomes a haunting synecdoche for an absent lover. In poems of convalescence, the white camisole of an invalid signals fragility and the slow return to health. Its French origin lends it an air of sophisticated charm, and modernist poets have used it to evoke a specific era of postwar femininity and private liberation.
Example
Example in poetry:
"The embroidered camisole takes its nap under the sheets" (Poetry International); "She wore a different camisole to bed each night, that week in early January" ("Ghazal: Her Camisoles"); "July Morning: How well I know the ritual of camisole and stocking"; "Mi madre dejaba su camisón colgado de la percha" (José Watanabe); "Her camisole of silk whispered secrets only the moonlight could hear"; "The camisole's lace edge traced a map of longing on her skin"
Additional Notes
The camisole is a garment of the boudoir and the bedroom, and its poetic usage is almost exclusively confined to scenes of intimacy, reverie, or illness. Unlike the corset, which constrains, the camisole is soft and yielding, suggesting ease and self-possession. Poets describe its lace trim or ribbon ties as small, precious details that frame the neck and shoulders, often with erotic or affectionate intent. The camisole's French origin lends it an air of sophisticated charm, and modernist poets have used it to evoke a specific era of postwar femininity. In love poetry, a camisole left on a chair becomes a haunting synecdoche for an absent lover. In poems of convalescence, the white camisole of an invalid signals fragility and the slow return to health. The camisole is closely related to the chemise, slip, and nightgown, each with slightly different connotations of intimacy. Students should consider how the camisole's delicate fabric and private function make it a garment of unguarded moments and vulnerable emotion.
Also Known As
underbodice sleeveless top intimate vest
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