The link between the words decolletage and decollete is clear from their spellings. However, there is more to their visible correlation. Read on if you are ready to know more about decolletage vs. decollete.
The difference between decolletage and decollete is that the former is a noun while the latter is an adjective. Decolletage refers to a low neckline on a woman’s dress that reveals or emphasizes her cleavage. In contrast, decollete is an adjective meaning “showcasing a low-cut neckline.”
Decolletage and decollete are interesting words that most people do not use because they either don’t understand their meanings or are confused about when to use each word. But the truth is there is much to learn about these words and their connection. Read on to learn more about these words’ meanings and usage.
Definitions Of Decolletage And Decollete
When you search for the word decolletage in the dictionary, the word decollete will appear as a “related term.” Likewise, decolletage appears as a related term for decollete. That is the first evidence that these words are connected.
However, even with this information, you cannot tell the connection between these words unless you understand their definitions. So, we took the liberty of researching the definitions of “decolletage and decollete” from various sources to prepare the section below. Here are the definitions of decolletage and decollete:
Definition Of Decolletage
Decolletage is the area on a woman’s body below the neckline that is exposed when you wear a garment with a low neckline. Here is a sentence example, “Everyone looked at Cate’s decolletage in amazement as she walked in wearing a low-neck dress for the first time.”
Decolletage is a low neckline, like a dress, on a woman’s garment. This implies that this word does not explicitly refer to a woman’s body part but also a part of a garment. Let’s look at a sentence example, “The decolletage on Maria’s dress is breathtaking.”
Other sources describe decolletage as a dress or garment with a low neckline in the front. For example, in a sentence, “The decolletage dress will look good on my mum.”
Definition Of Decollete
Decollete is an adjective formed from the word decolletage. It means “having a low neckline that reveals your cleavage.” An example in a sentence is: “The decollete dress does not look as good on me as it does on my sister, Annette.”
Another dictionary defines decollete as “wearing a garment with a low-cut neckline or strapless design.” For example, in a sentence, “This time I will go decollete when designing the bridal gown.”
How To Properly Use Decolletage And Decollete In A Sentence
Before you use these words, you must understand that decolletage is a noun, while decollete is an adjective. A noun is a word that names a place or item or serves as a verb’s subject. You can interpret a noun as a singular or plural, and you can also replace it with a pronoun.
In contrast, an adjective is a word that describes something or someone. So, now that this is clear, we can look at a few tips to consider when using the words decolletage and decollete in a sentence. Here are some guidelines you should keep in mind:
How To Use The Word Decolletage
Use the word decolletage in a sentence as a noun in the following contexts:
- Referring to an area on a woman’s body just below the neckline or cleavage exposed when you wear a low neckline garment. For example, “Jane’s decolletage looks amazing with that top.”
- Referring to a garment with a low neckline, especially a dress. For example, “The decolletage dress cost beyond my budget.”
- Referring to a low neckline on a woman’s neckline. In a sentence, “Aniela’s decolletage is the most beautiful part of her body.”
Decolletage is a countable noun. Therefore, it has a plural form, which is “decolletages.” For example, in a sentence, “The two teenagers chose dresses that display their decolletages.”
How To Use The Word Decollete
Use the word decollete as an adjective in a sentence to describe something, like a garment with a low neckline. For example, “The decollete dress is classier than I thought.” In this sentence, the word decollete describes the nature of the dress.
Since decollete is not a noun, it does not have a plural. Also, this word does not have a past tense or past participle since it is not a verb. Use it in different contexts the way it is.
Decolletage Vs. Decollete: More On These Words Connection
The primary connection between the words decolletage and decollete is that the second word is an adjective derived from the first word. However, we discovered several other links between these words after extensive research. Here we go!
Pronunciation
According to the IPA, the correct pronunciation for decolletage is “/dey-kol-tahzh/” or “/dey-kol-taj/.” As you may notice from the IPA pronunciation, this word has three syllables, “de-colle-tage.”
Like decolletage, the word decollete also has three syllables, “de-colle-te.” So, its correct pronunciation is “/dey-kol-tey/.” It is important to mention syllables when talking about pronunciation because splitting a word into syllables helps make pronunciation easier.
History And Etymology
The English users coined the word decolletage in 1888, meaning “low-cut neck of a bodice,” from the French word “decolletage” from 1883. However, in 1894, the word took on a new meaning, “exposure of the neck and shoulders.”
In contrast, the adjective decollete comes from the 1831 French word “decollete,” which is the past participle of “decolleter,” meaning “to bare the neck and shoulders.” The prefix “de,” means “off or away from,” while the suffix “collet” means “collar of a dress” from the Latin collum.
Word Usage Posts
List Of Examples Of Decolletage And Decollete Use In Sentences
Most people steer clear of the words decolletage and decollete because they assume they are complex terms. However, this post aims to set things straight about these words so you can use them correctly in sentences. Here are a few sentences you should read before using these words in sentences:
Example sentences of the word decollete
- The famous designer used pearls on the dress’ decollete for exceptional results.
- Bella, one of the most popular models globally, wore a breathtaking decollete dress.
- We visited the designer in Millan and got him to design a decollete dress for our client.
- The decollete dress looked much better on Amanda than on Amelia, but the twins could not decide who should wear it.
- The blue decollete dress is the most expensive item in my closet; I got it for more than two thousand dollars.
Example sentences of the word decolletage
- Jane broke the tension in the room by complimenting her rival on her beautiful decolletage.
- You should wear the peach dress because it has the most beautiful decolletage.
- Samantha Bear made headlines when she walked the red carpet while confidently displaying her decolletage.
- John made everyone uncomfortable when he could not stop staring at Sandy’s decolletage despite everyone watching.
- Your decollegate looks beautiful this evening.
Conclusion
The connection between the words decollete and decolletage is quite simple. Decollete is an adjective coined from the noun decollegate. However, as this post explains, there are links in these words based on their spellings, pronunciations, and history. For instance, both words have French origins.
Now that you know the meanings and correlations between these words, you can confidently use them and add them to your vocabulary. Start by constructing some sentences with these words and sharing them with your study colleagues. We will be happy to know that you now know how to use the two words in various contexts.
Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority. He’s one part content manager, one part writing ninja organizer, and two parts leader of top content creators. You don’t even want to know what he calls pancakes.