Home › Glossary › Letter L

Leotard

Apparel
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

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 close-fitting one-piece garment for dancers or gymnasts, covering torso and legs; in poetry, it evokes physical discipline, modern performance, and the sleekness of athletic attire.

Detailed Definition
A leotard covers the torso and usually leaves the arms and legs partly bare, allowing unrestricted movement. It carries associations of studios, mirrors, rehearsals, childhood ambition, and performance. In verse, its stretched fabric can reveal the labor beneath grace, the bruised feet beyond the costume, or the moment before music begins. It is both a second skin and a public promise that the body will not falter.
Example
Example in poetry:
The dancer’s white leotard shone like a crescent beneath the rehearsal lamp; A child in a pink leotard practiced patience at the barre; The poem places a worn leotard beside a mirror to show years of devotion; Her leotard followed each careful leap as quietly as breath
Additional Notes
A leotard is a close-fitting garment that allows unrestricted movement, especially in dance, gymnastics, and ballet. It may be sleeveless or have long sleeves and is often worn with tights, a skirt, or dance shorts. The word is also used more broadly for similar fitted performance wear.
Also Known As
Maillot Dance Leotard
Skip to main content