A garment or undergarment that fits close to the body, or small body-fitting clothes.
Compound of 'body' and the diminutive suffix '-kins,' which means 'little' or 'small' (as in 'lambkins'). This archaic or specialized term combines the body-fitting quality with the notion of something small or cute.
The '-kins' suffix is delightful because it makes things sound adorable—'bodykins' sounds like cute little fitted clothes, and this same suffix gives us 'munchkins,' showing how language adds personality through diminutive endings.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.