adj · noun · verb · 10 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK:/ˈpɛt.ɪ.kəʊt/
Canada, US:/ˈpɛt.ɪ.koʊt/
Canada, US:[ˈpɛɾ.ɪ.koʊt]
Australian:/ˈpet.ɪ.kəʉt/
Australian:[ˈpeɾ.ɪ.kəʉt]
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
obsolete:/ˈpɛtɪkət/
CMU ARPABET:P EH1 T IY0 K OW2 T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Feminine; female; involving a woman.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated, not-comparable
Examples
petticoat influence
a petticoat affair
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A tight, usually padded undercoat worn by women over a shirt and under the doublet.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A woman's undercoat, worn to be displayed beneath an open gown.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A fisherman's loose canvas or oilcloth skirt.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
A type of ornamental skirt or underskirt, often displayed below a dress; chiefly in plural, designating a woman's skirts collectively.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
A light woman's undergarment worn under a dress or skirt, and hanging either from the shoulders or (now especially) from the waist; a kind of slip, worn to make the skirt fuller, or for extra warmth.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
A woman.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: slang
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
A bell-mouthed piece over the exhaust nozzles in the smokebox of a locomotive, strengthening and equalising the draught through the boiler-tubes.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
verb
Meaning 9
To dress in a petticoat.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
noun
Meaning 10
undergarment worn under a skirt
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: half-slip, underskirt
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: undergarment, unmentionable
Narrower terms: crinoline
History
Etymology
From Middle English petticote, petycote, peticote, petite cote, equivalent to petty + coat.
Across languages
Translations
53 source translations are retained for this English entry.
French:
cotillon
— historical: ornamental skirt or underskirt
German:
Petticoat
— historical: ornamental skirt or underskirt
Irish:
cóta beag
— historical: ornamental skirt or underskirt
Italian:
sottogonna
— historical: ornamental skirt or underskirt
Polish:
halka
— historical: ornamental skirt or underskirt
Scottish Gaelic:
còta-bàn
— historical: ornamental skirt or underskirt
Bengali:
শায়া
(śaẏa)
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Bulgarian:
фу́ста
(fústa)
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Chinese Mandarin:
襯裙 /衬裙
(chènqún)
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Czech:
spodnička
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Danish:
underskørt
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Danish:
underkjole
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Esperanto:
subjupo
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Finnish:
alushame
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
French:
jupon
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
French:
combinaison
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Galician:
refaixo
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Galician:
biso
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Galician:
enagua
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
German:
Unterrock
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
German:
Petticoat
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Greek:
μεσοφόρι
(mesofóri)
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Hungarian:
alsószoknya
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Ingrian:
aluhame
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Irish:
cóta beag
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Italian:
sottoveste
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Japanese:
ペチコート
(pechikōto)
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Ladino:
faldar
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Latin:
castula
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Māori:
panekoti
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Polish:
halka
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Portuguese:
anágua
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Russian:
ни́жняя ю́бка
(nížnjaja júbka)
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Russian:
комбина́ция
(kombinácija)
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Scottish Gaelic:
còta-bàn
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Serbo-Croatian:
по̀дсукња
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Serbo-Croatian:
pòdsuknja
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Slovak:
spodnička
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Slovak:
spodničky
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Spanish:
enaguas
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Spanish:
tontillo
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Spanish:
combinación
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Spanish:
fondo
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Spanish:
fustán
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Spanish:
peticote
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Spanish:
sayuela
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Swedish:
underkjol
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Tagalog:
nagwas
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Telugu:
లోలంగా
(lōlaṅgā)
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Volapük:
nijuüp
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Volapük:
disgun
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Welsh:
pais
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt
Welsh:
peisiau
— woman's undergarment worn under a skirt