negligee

Meaning

1. 1nouncountable

   A woman’s light, often delicate dressing gown or nightgown, sometimes trimmed with lace.

   Grammar: Takes a plural; usually refers to elegant sleepwear rather than ordinary pajamas.

   Patterns

   • silk negligee
   • lace-trimmed negligee
   • wear a negligee

   She wore a silk negligee over her nightdress.

   The shop window displayed a lace-trimmed negligee in soft blue.

   He bought her a negligee for their anniversary.

Word forms

Common combinations

silk negligee

A silk negligee hung behind the bathroom door.

lace-trimmed negligee

She chose a lace-trimmed negligee instead of a plain cotton gown.

sheer negligee

The sheer negligee was more decorative than warm.

pack a negligee

She packed a negligee for the weekend trip.

Synonyms and how they differ

nightgown

Nightgown is the plain everyday word; negligee suggests lightness, decoration, or elegance.

robe

Robe is broader and may be worn over clothes; negligee is specifically light sleepwear.

peignoir

Peignoir is similar but often a somewhat fuller dressing gown worn over a nightgown.

Commonly confused: negligee or negligent?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “negligee”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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