petticoat

Etymology

From petty +‎ coat.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈpɛtɪkəʊt/

Noun

petticoat (plural petticoats)

1. (historical) A tight, usually padded undercoat worn by men over a shirt and under the doublet.
2. (historical) A woman's undercoat, worn to be displayed beneath an open gown.
3. (archaic or historical) A type of ornamental skirt or underskirt, often displayed below a dress; chiefly in plural, designating a woman's skirts collectively.
4. A light woman's undergarment worn under a dress or skirt, and hanging either from the shoulders or (now especially) from the waist; a kind of slip, worn to make the skirt fuller, or for extra warmth.

Verb

petticoat (third-person singular simple present petticoats, present participle petticoating, simple past and past participle petticoated)

1. (transitive) To dress in a petticoat.