Dictionary

négligée en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈnɛɡlɪʒeɪ/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *-kʷe Proto-Indo-European *nékʷe Proto-Italic *nekʷe Latin neque Latin nec Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *léǵeti Proto-Italic *legō Latin lego Latin negligere French négligerder. French négligébor. English négligée From French négligée f (past participle, adjective), from French négligé m (“underdressed; loose garment”, past participle, adjective, noun), past participle of négliger (“to neglect”), from Latin negligere.

Meanings

1. (obsolete) Carelessly or unceremoniously dressed.
2. (of clothing) In the style of a negligee; revealing, titillating.

Forms

négligée en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈnɛɡlɪʒeɪ/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *-kʷe Proto-Indo-European *nékʷe Proto-Italic *nekʷe Latin neque Latin nec Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *léǵeti Proto-Italic *legō Latin lego Latin negligere French négligerder. French négligébor. English négligée From French négligée f (past participle, adjective), from French négligé m (“underdressed; loose garment”, past participle, adjective, noun), past participle of négliger (“to neglect”), from Latin negligere.

Meanings

1. (obsolete) A woman's lightweight gown of the eighteenth century.
   • [S]he had on a lilac Negligee, Gause Cuffs trimmed richly, with Flowers and spangles, spangled shoes, Bows of Gause and Flowers, and a Cap! 1777, Frances Burney, Journals & Letters, Penguin, published 2001, page 78:
2. (historical) A necklace of beads, pearls etc.
3. (archaic) A state of careless undress or very informal attire.
   • “Good! My lady will be sitting in her boudoir, very much in negligee, about now.” 1913, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan, New York: Ballantine Books, published 1963, page 43:
4. A woman's loose-fitting nightgown, especially when short, lacy or revealing; a nightie.
   • Enkhbayar has promised more jobs, free education and higher public service wages to the poverty-ravaged country. But who needs those when you've got dancing girls in black negligees? 2000 July 3, “No: 1669 Mongolia”, in The Guardian:

Forms

Translations (22)

cmn 晨衣 (woman's nightgown) · sk negližé (woman's nightgown) · et negližee (woman's nightgown) · ja ネグリジェ (woman's nightgown) · fr nuisette (woman's nightgown) · tr neglije (woman's nightgown) · es camisón de encaje (woman's nightgown) · sv negligé (woman's nightgown) · pt camisola (woman's nightgown) · es picardías (woman's nightgown) · cs negližé (woman's nightgown) · fi negligee (woman's nightgown) · cmn 女便服 (woman's nightgown) · fr négligé (woman's nightgown) · nl negligé (woman's nightgown) · ru неглиже́ (woman's nightgown) · hu neglizsé (woman's nightgown) · de Negligé (woman's nightgown) · bg неглиже (woman's nightgown) · pl negliż (woman's nightgown) · bg пеньоар (woman's nightgown) · el νεγκλιζέ (woman's nightgown)