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Meaning & use

décolletage

noun·Advancedformal

Last updated

UK/ˌdeɪkɒlˈtɑːʒ/
US/ˌdeɪkɑːlˈtɑːʒ/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    A neckline cut low across the front of a dress or top, leaving the upper chest uncovered.

    Grammar: Usually singular with an or the: a daring décolletage.

    Patterns

    • a low décolletage
    • a dress with a décolletage

    The gown had a modest décolletage trimmed with lace.

    Critics noticed the deep décolletage of her evening dress.

    Victorian fashion often featured a wide décolletage for formal balls.

  2. nounsingular

    The upper chest, neck and shoulders of a person, especially a woman, when these are left bare.

    Grammar: Refers to the skin itself: she wore a pendant against her bare décolletage.

    Patterns

    • skin care for the décolletage

    The skincare brand sells a cream made for the neck and décolletage.

    A diamond necklace sparkled against her décolletage.

    Dermatologists warn that the décolletage is easily sunburned.

Word forms

pluraldécolletages

Common combinations

plunging décolletage
She wore a dress with a plunging décolletage.
low décolletage
The portrait showed a lady with a low décolletage.
expose the décolletage
The cut of the dress exposes the décolletage.
protect the décolletage
Apply sunscreen to protect your décolletage.
neck and décolletage
The facial included a massage of the neck and décolletage.

Synonyms and how they differ

neckline
Neckline is the everyday word for the shape of a garment's collar edge, while décolletage specifically suggests a low, revealing one.
cleavage
Cleavage names the line between the breasts only, whereas décolletage covers the whole bare area or the cut of the garment.
bodice
A bodice is the fitted upper part of a dress, not the bare skin or opening of its neckline.

Word family

décolleté adjective
low-cut, or wearing a low-cut garment
décolleté noun
another word for the neckline or bare chest area, used especially in fashion
collar noun
the part of a garment around the neck, from the same Latin root

Commonly confused: décolletage or cleavage?

décolletage vs cleavage

Cleavage means the visible line between the breasts, while décolletage means the low neckline or the whole expanse of exposed skin. The words overlap in use but are not exact equivalents.

Practice

A stylist says the dress is lovely but the ____ is too low for a conservative office. Which word fits best?

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