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undervest

undervest

4.4
A thin top you wear under a shirt to keep you warm
  • noun
  • /ˈʌndərˌvɛst/
  • UK
translation icon : camiseta interior
  • After the shower, she put on a clean undervest before getting dressed.

Examples

  • He removed his shoes and socks, his necktie and collar, his shirt and undervest.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • He stood up, took his shirt off, and put it onto the chair as well, and his undervest on top of it.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Fine linen undervest slides over his head.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • I have not imagined him, or his fireside, or his butler, or his wide shoulders, or the tuft of ginger hair showing where the top button was left unbuttoned on his clean Spartan undervest.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • He wore a soft cotton undervest beneath his shirt to stay warm.

  • The undervest is comfortable and keeps the chill away during winter.

Synonyms

underwear
vsundervest
507 1.0

Clothes that you wear next to your skin under other clothes

refers especially to the upper-body layer worn beneath a shirt
tank top
vsundervest
  • US
28 1.3

A tight shirt without sleeves that has wide shoulder straps

is specifically the simple underlayer worn beneath a shirt
undergarment
vsundervest
22 2.4

Clothing you wear under other clothes next to the skin

focuses specifically on an upper body underlayer worn beneath shirts
undershirt
vsundervest
13 1.0

A thin shirt without a collar worn under a shirt

is a general upper underlayer not limited to collarless styles
camisole
vsundervest
9 4.2

A thin sleeveless top with narrow straps that women wear under clothes

is a plain upper underlayer worn beneath shirts, not mainly decorative
underthing
vsundervest
  • Informal
3 8.4

A piece of clothing worn under other clothes like socks or an undershirt

names the specific upper-body under layer rather than any undergarment
underclothing
vsundervest
1 1.4

Clothes you wear next to your skin under other clothes

is the specific upper-body item worn beneath a shirt
undies
vsundervest
  • Informal
1 7.7

Light women's underwear like panties or bras

refers to one particular upper undergarment worn beneath a shirt
underclothes
vsundervest
1.5

Clothes worn next to the skin under other clothes

is narrower, pointing to a single upper-body under layer
undergarb
vsundervest
5.9

Clothes worn next to your body, like underwear

means the particular upper underlayer placed under a shirt
underlayer
vsundervest
3.8

A thin piece of clothing worn under other clothes to keep you warm and dry

is mainly an upper undergarment worn beneath a shirt rather than for warmth
underbodice
vsundervest
  • Archaic
9.9

A short sleeveless piece of underwear women wear under clothes

is a single upper underlayer used under shirts, not an extra decorative piece

How Warm

undershirt
13 1.0
undervest
  • UK
4.4
camisole
9 4.2

Surface Forms

undervest singular
undervests plural

Morphology

undervest = vest (transparent) = under + vest

Meaning is a straightforward combination of 'under' + 'vest' denoting a garment worn beneath other clothing.

Etymology

The word undervest is easy to see because it joins under meaning 'below' and vest meaning a piece of 'clothing' worn on the upper body. So an undervest is a vest you wear 'under' your shirt to keep warm or as underwear.