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cor·set

(kôrsĭt)

1. A close-fitting undergarment, often reinforced by stays, worn to support and shape the waistline, hips, and breasts.

2. A medieval outer garment, especially a laced jacket or bodice.

tr.v. cor·set·ed, cor·set·ing, cor·sets

To enclose in or as if in a corset.

[Middle English, bodice, from Old French, diminutive of cors, body, from Latin corpus; see k^wrep- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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