What does bloused mean?
Bloused is chiefly the past tense and past participle of the verb 'to blouse', which means to arrange or tuck fabric — most famously trousers over boot tops, or a shirt over a belt — so that it hangs in soft, rounded folds rather than lying flat. The resulting look is deliberately full and slightly billowing, an effect valued both in military uniforms, where bloused trousers convey neatness and precision, and in fashion, where bloused sleeves and blouses lend volume and ease to a silhouette. Used adjectivally, 'bloused' describes any garment styled in this way. The word descends from 'blouse', borrowed into English from French in the nineteenth century; the French term itself has an obscure origin, though it may trace back through Provençal. Though modest in frequency, 'bloused' is a precise, evocative term wherever dress, uniform, or tailoring is discussed.
Past tense and past participle of 'blouse': to tuck or arrange fabric so it hangs in full, rounded folds, especially trousers over boots.
"The recruits bloused their trousers before inspection."
Most common in military and tailoring contexts.
Describing a garment or fabric cut or worn with a loose, billowing fullness.
"She wore a white, bloused blouse with tapered trousers."
Soldiers have been 'blousing' their trousers over their boots for generations — a small tuck that signals discipline and polish.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bloused
'Bloused' derives from 'blouse', a noun borrowed from French around the mid-nineteenth century to denote a loose, full garment worn by workers, peasants, and later women. The French word's deeper origin is uncertain; it has been linked by some etymologists to Provençal 'blouso', possibly of ultimately Persian origin via trade routes, though this connection remains speculative. The verb 'to blouse' developed naturally from the noun, meaning to give clothing the full, puffed shape of a blouse, and 'bloused' is simply its inflected form.
Related word forms
How bloused is actually used
The verb form appears most often in military and fashion contexts; it carries no strong connotation of formality or region. The adjective sense usually appears attributively in descriptions of uniform or vintage dress.
Easily confused with bloused
'Blowsy' (or 'blowzy') describes a red-faced, disheveled appearance, while 'bloused' refers to clothing gathered into a full, puffed shape.