ˈbädə̇s noun
( -s )
Etymology: from earlier bodies, plural of body (I) (part of a garment)
1. : an undergarment stiffened with whalebone and resembling a corset : stays
2.
a. : the attached or separate waist of a woman's dress
b. : a tight-fitting sleeveless waist or a very wide girdle often laced and worn over or forming part of a dress