A short, close-fitting jacket or bodice worn by women in the 18th century, typically with a separate skirt.
From French caraco, possibly borrowed from Spanish or Portuguese colonial sources. The origin is uncertain but may relate to trade words from Asia.
The caraco represented a revolution in women's fashion—it was one of the first garments designed to be practical and less restrictive than the corsets of previous centuries!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.