décolleté

1 of 2

adjective

dé·​col·​le·​té (ˌ)dā-ˌkäl-ˈtā How to pronounce décolleté (audio)
-ˌkȯl-,
-lə-ˈtā;
 also  dā-ˈkȯl-tā
1
: wearing a strapless or low-necked dress
décolleté young women
2
: having a low-cut neckline
a décolleté dress

décolleté

2 of 2

noun

variants or less commonly decollete
: décolletage

Examples of décolleté in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
Cut off the shoulder with decollete necklines, this gown will never go out of style! — Michael Lee Simpson, Peoplemag, 13 Aug. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

French, from past participle of décolleter to give a low neckline to, from dé- de- + collet collar, from Old French colet, from col collar, neck, from Latin collum neck

First Known Use

Adjective

1831, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1894, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of décolleté was in 1831

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Cite this Entry

“Décolleté.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/d%C3%A9collet%C3%A9. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

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