Leotard

/ˈliəˌtɑrd/ noun

Definition

A tight-fitting one-piece garment covering the torso, worn by dancers, gymnasts, and acrobats.

Etymology

Named after Jules Léotard, a 19th-century French acrobat who invented this garment for his trapeze performances. Léotard wanted freedom of movement for his aerial stunts, so he created this revolutionary stretchy outfit. He became famous for his daring trapeze acts and inspired the song 'The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze'!

Kelly Says

Every gymnast and dancer wears an outfit named after a French circus performer who literally flew through the air with the greatest of ease. Jules Léotard invented this stretchy garment so he could do backflips on the trapeze without his clothes getting in the way — and became so famous there's still a song about him!

Translations

AMአማርኛ
ለዮታርድ
leo-taard
ARالعربية
بدلة
bid-la
BNবাংলা
লেওটার্ড
leo-taard
CACatalà
leotard
leo-taard
CSČeština
leotard
leo-taard
DADansk
leotard
leo-taard
DEDeutsch
Leotard
lay-o-tahrd
ELΕλληνικά
λεοταρδ
leo-tar-d
ESEspañol
leotardo
le-o-tar-doh
FAفارسی
لیو ترد
li-o-taard
FISuomi
leotard
leo-taard
FRFrançais
leotard
leo-tahr
GUGU
લિયોટાર્ડ
li-yo-taard
HAHA
leotard
leo-taard
HEעברית
ליוטרד
li-ot-rad
HIहिन्दी
लेओटार्ड
leo-taard
HUMagyar
leotard
leo-taard
IDBahasa Indonesia
leotard
leo-taard
IGIG
leotard
leo-taard
ITItaliano
leotardo
leo-tar-doh
JA日本語
レオタード
reo-taado
KKKK
леотард
leo-tar-d
KMKM
លីអូតារ
li-o-taar
KO한국어
레오타드
reo-ta-deu
MRMR
लेओटार्ड
leo-taard
MSBahasa Melayu
leotard
leo-taard
MYမြန်မာ
လီယိုတာတ်
li-yo-taat
NLNederlands
leotard
leo-taard
NONorsk
leotard
leo-taard
PAPA
ਲੀਓਟਾਰਡ
li-o-taard
PLPolski
leotard
leo-taard
PTPortuguês
leotardo
le-o-tar-doh
RORomână
leotard
leo-taard
RUРусский
леotard
leo-tar-d
SVSvenska
leotard
leo-taard
SWKiswahili
leotard
leo-taard
TAதமிழ்
லியோட்டார்ட்
li-yo-taard
TEతెలుగు
లీయోటార్డ్
li-yo-taard
THไทย
เลอทาด
leo-taad
TLTL
leotard
leo-taard
TRTürkçe
leotard
leo-tar-d
UKУкраїнська
леотард
leo-tar-d
URاردو
لیوٹارڈ
li-o-taard
VITiếng Việt
áo liền
ah-lee-en
YOYO
leotard
leo-taard
ZH中文
紧身衣
jǐn shēn yī
ZUZU
leotard
leo-taard

Ethical Language Guidance

Gender History

Named after Jules Léotard (male aerialist, 19th century), yet associated almost exclusively with women's bodies in modern usage. Language erases the male originator; garment becomes gendered feminine.

Inclusive Usage

Leotard is a garment. Use descriptively without gendering. If discussing dance/athletics, note that all genders wear them.

Inclusive Alternatives

["bodysuit","one-piece"]

Related Words

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