underwire

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₁én

Proto-Indo-European *-tér

Proto-Indo-European *h₁entér

Proto-Indo-European *h₂én

Proto-Indo-European *-dʰi

?

Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰí

Proto-Indo-European *-ér

Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰér

Proto-Germanic *under

Proto-West Germanic *undar

Old English under-

Middle English under-

English under-

English wire

English underwire

From under- + wire.

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪə(ɹ)

Noun

underwire (plural underwires)

1. A semicircular wire placed in a bra to support the breasts.
2. A bra that includes such wires.

Translations

wire placed in bra

• Czech: kostice (cs) f
• German: Bügel (de) m
• Italian: ferretto (it) m
• Polish: fiszbin (pl) m
• Swedish: bygel (sv) c
• Turkish: balen (tr)

bra type

• German: Bügel-BH m
• Swedish: bygelbehå c
• Turkish: balen (tr)

Verb

underwire (third-person singular simple present underwires, present participle underwiring, simple past and past participle underwired)

1. To fix such a wire in place.