A loose, simple sleeveless garment or woman's undergarment, typically worn next to the skin.
From Old French chemise, meaning shirt (from Late Latin camisia, possibly from Semitic origins). The word entered English in the 14th century and has remained relatively stable in meaning.
The chemise became incredibly important during the Enlightenment—women wore them under corsets as a barrier against the rigid metal and bone, making corsets actually wearable; fashion and comfort evolved together!
From Old French chemise (shirt/garment). The word became gendered feminine in English through fashion lexicon, where women's undergarments received distinct terminology while men's remained neutral—reflecting 19th-20th century commercial segmentation of clothing markets by gender.
Use 'chemise' for the specific historical garment type without assuming gender. Context clarifies whether discussing the garment itself, historical fashion, or gendered marketing.
Women's fashion historians and seamstresses preserved knowledge of construction and materials for chemises despite fashion history being male-dominated; credit textile workers who maintained these craft traditions.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.