What does undress mean?
Undress is most often a verb meaning to remove clothing, either from oneself or from someone else. It can be transitive, as in “They undressed the child,” or intransitive, as in “She undressed behind the screen,” although “get undressed” and “take off one's clothes” are often more natural in everyday speech. As a noun, undress denotes the state of being naked, partly naked, or not fully dressed. The word is neutral in tone but can sound formal, archaic, or intentionally clinical, especially in medical or literary descriptions; “strip” may carry stronger or more provocative associations depending on context. Partial undress is often used for artistic, ceremonial, or intimate situations. Undress is formed transparently from un- and dress, so its meaning is easy to infer despite shifts in register. The noun is normally uncountable, though the rare plural “undresses” exists. The word is useful in fiction and formal description because it can concisely mark either the act of removing clothing or the resulting state without specifying how much clothing is removed.
To remove one's own clothes or to remove the clothes of another person.
"The caregiver undressed the patient before the examination."
The word can be transitive or intransitive. In everyday speech, “get undressed” is often a more idiomatic alternative for the intransitive use.
The state of being naked, partly naked, or not fully dressed.
"The novel describes the private undress of the characters."
Normally uncountable; the plural “undresses” is rare and chiefly used for separate instances or representations of undress.
The noun is normally uncountable; the plural is rare and used only for separate instances or representations of undress.
"The catalogue compares three undresses in the artist's portraits."
Add one little prefix to “dress,” and the clothes disappear.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does undress come from?
Undress is an English compound formed from the prefix un- and the verb dress, in use by the early modern period. Dress came through Middle English from Old French words meaning to arrange or clothe, ultimately deriving from Latin dirigere, “to direct or guide.” Related forms include address and redress, which share the same Latin foundation, while undress reverses the action of dressing by means of the prefix un-.
Related word forms
How undress is actually used
The verb is formal but broadly accepted in neutral, literary, and medical contexts; in everyday speech, “get undressed” and “take off one's clothes” are often more natural. The noun is usually uncountable and can refer to either complete or partial undress.
Easily confused with undress
Undress is a verb or noun, while undressed is chiefly an adjective or past participle describing someone without their clothes on.