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Glite Dictionary
step-in

step-in

1 8.4
A short one-piece underwear with shoulder straps worn by women or children
  • noun
  • /ˈstɛpˌɪn/
translation icon : cuerpo entero
  • step-in heel

Examples

  • This is an ideal step in that direction.

    Volunteers (1985)

  • Acquiring the clinical skills necessary to tease out all aspects of a clinical problem, including subjective and somatic events, is an essential step in training and includes attention to the nonspecific factors operating in therapy.

    Academic text (1995)

  • She chose a comfortable step-in for her summer dress, as it was easy to wear and stylish.

  • The little girl laughed as she put on her colorful step-in, ready for a fun day at the park.

  • For the beach trip, I packed my favorite step-in because it's perfect for staying cool in the heat.

Synonyms

slip
vsstep-in
16 4.9

A loose undergarment worn under a dress or skirt

is held up by shoulder straps rather than being sleeveless and loose
underslip
vsstep-in
7.2

A thin piece of clothing worn under a dress or skirt to stop it being see-through

is held up by shoulder straps and covers the lower body more firmly
shimmy
vsstep-in
  • Archaic
9.5

A woman's sleeveless slip worn under a dress or skirt

is held up by shoulder straps rather than being sleeveless

Surface Forms

step-in singular
step-ins plural

Morphology

step-in = step (semi-transparent) = in + step

The idea of a garment that one steps into is understandable from the parts, but the specific sense of a particular one-piece undergarment is not fully predictable. [Postprocessing: moved 'in' from base_words to prefix]

Etymology

The word step-in comes from the parts step and in, and a helpful way to remember it is to think of how you 'step into' the underwear. A step-in is a one-piece undergarment you put on by stepping into it and pulling the shoulder straps up, so the name matches how it is used.