A woman's undergarment designed to support and cover the breasts, short for brassiere.
Shortened form of brassiere, from French brassière meaning 'bodice' or 'child's vest', derived from bras meaning 'arms'. The modern garment was developed in the early 20th century, replacing the corset.
The bra represents a pivotal moment in women's liberation - its invention in 1914 by Mary Phelps Jacob literally freed women from the restrictive whale-bone corsets that had constrained movement for centuries. The evolution of bra design reflects changing attitudes toward women's bodies, sexuality, and participation in public life, making it both an intimate garment and a symbol of social progress.
Abbreviated undergarment terminology tied exclusively to women's bodies; language around intimate apparel historically carried shame/medical pathology rather than functional neutrality, reflecting gendered bodily surveillance.
Use clinically or functionally without shame-laden framing. Normalize discussion of undergarments across genders.
["undergarment","support garment"]
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