Meaning & use
corsages
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“corsages” is a form of “corsage”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nouncountable
A small bunch of flowers worn on a woman's dress or wrist at a formal event.
Grammar: Countable: one corsage, two corsages; it can be pinned to the dress or worn on the wrist.
Patterns
- wear a corsage
- pin a corsage to something
- a wrist corsage
She wore a white rose corsage pinned to her dress.
He bought a wrist corsage because her dress had no place for pins.
The florist made corsages for all the mothers at the wedding.
nouncountableold-fashioned
The upper part of a woman's dress or bodice, especially the part around the chest.
Grammar: This meaning is old-fashioned and mostly appears in historical writing about clothes.
Patterns
- a fitted corsage
- the corsage of a dress
The gown had a tight corsage decorated with lace.
In the portrait, her corsage is trimmed with pearls.
Word forms
| singular | corsage |
|---|---|
| plural | corsages |
Common combinations
- wear a corsage
- Guests are expected to wear a corsage at the spring dance.
- pin a corsage
- His mother helped him pin the corsage to his date's dress.
- a wrist corsage
- A wrist corsage is easier to put on than a pinned one.
- order a corsage
- We ordered a corsage from the flower shop two days early.
Synonyms and how they differ
- boutonniere
- A boutonniere is a single flower worn by a man on his jacket, while a corsage is usually a small group of flowers worn by a woman.
- nosegay
- A nosegay is a small handheld bunch of flowers; a corsage is specifically worn on the body.
Word family
- corsage noun
- The singular form, meaning one such flower arrangement.
Commonly confused: corsages or courage?
corsages vs courage
Courage means bravery and sounds somewhat similar; corsage is the flower worn at a formal event.
Practice
At the prom, Daniel gave his date a small bunch of flowers to wear on her wrist. What did he give her?
Choose one answer.
A corsage is the small flower arrangement worn on the body at a formal event, often on the wrist. A bouquet is larger and held in the hands, and a boutonniere is worn by a man on his jacket.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “corsages”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.