What does shapewear mean?
Shapewear is a noun for close-fitting garments, particularly undergarments, that smooth the body's contours or create a more streamlined appearance beneath other clothing. Common examples include bodysuits, camisoles, shorts, briefs, and waist-cinching garments. The word is especially associated with fashion, formalwear, and the retail market, although shapewear is also incorporated into some athletic and compression garments. Unlike ordinary underwear, whose primary purpose is protection or basic coverage, shapewear is specifically designed to alter the wearer's visible outline. It should not be confused with clothing that provides substantial support for medical or athletic purposes, though some products serve both functions. In everyday use, “shapewear” can refer collectively to an entire category of body-shaping garments. The term is most common in contemporary British and American English and is normally treated as an uncountable mass noun.
nounClose-fitting garments, especially undergarments, worn to smooth the body's contours and create a slimmer-looking silhouette beneath other clothing.
- Close-fitting garments or undergarments designed to smooth the body's contours, reduce the appearance of bulges, or create a more streamlined silhouette.
"She wore lightweight shapewear beneath her dress for a smoother silhouette."
"The dress looked elegant, especially when worn with seamless shapewear."
"Compression shapewear is also used in athletic and performance clothing."
Plural forms are uncommon because shapewear is normally treated as a mass noun.
"The boutique stocks several types of shapewears for different outfits."
Shapewear turns the word “shape” into clothing: it is designed not merely to cover the body, but to change how its outline appears.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does shapewear come from?
Shapewear is a modern English compound formed from “shape” and “wear,” both of which have Germanic origins: “shape” descends from Old English sceap, while “wear” descends from Old English werian. The compound's clothing sense developed alongside close-fitting foundation garments and stretch fabrics in the modern period. Its precise first attestation is uncertain, so earlier usage should not be assigned a definitive date.
How shapewear is actually used
Normally treated as a mass noun rather than a countable one: speakers say “a piece of shapewear,” not generally “a shapewear.” The term is neutral but commonly occurs in fashion, retail, and body-sculpting contexts.