Electrum Posted 15 years ago
Vocabulary
Two easy pieces
According to dictionary.com, a swimsuit is a one-piece feminine garment for swimming. But a bathing suit may be called one-piece or two-piece. So we have:
One piece:
Swimsuit, one-piece bathing suit
Two pieces:
Two-piece bathing suit (but not two-piece swimsuit)
Online, one finds 2,200,000 two-piece bathing suits, and 200,000 two-piece swimsuits.
Is it really like this? A chapter of my novel is about two-piece bathing suits, but I do not want to use that sesquipedalian absurdity every other sentence. What do I do?
One piece:
Swimsuit, one-piece bathing suit
Two pieces:
Two-piece bathing suit (but not two-piece swimsuit)
Online, one finds 2,200,000 two-piece bathing suits, and 200,000 two-piece swimsuits.
Is it really like this? A chapter of my novel is about two-piece bathing suits, but I do not want to use that sesquipedalian absurdity every other sentence. What do I do?
Top answer
No, the two phrases (swim suit, bathing suit) are synonymous where I come from. Sounds terribly prescriptive, but perhaps in some region they differentiate.
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No, the two phrases (swim suit, bathing suit) are synonymous where I come from. Sounds terribly prescriptive, but perhaps in some region they differentiate.
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Hi,
I usually just hear 'swim suit'. 'Bathing suit' sounds rather old-fashioned to me.
Clive
I usually just hear 'swim suit'. 'Bathing suit' sounds rather old-fashioned to me.
Clive
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The Compact OED also says one-piece unequivocally.
Most of the others don't say anything about the number of pieces, but a couple say tight-fitting.
What I'm looking for is prescriptions. I can always elect to ignore them, but I'd like to know if they exist.
Most of the others don't say anything about the number of pieces, but a couple say tight-fitting.
What I'm looking for is prescriptions. I can always elect to ignore them, but I'd like to know if they exist.
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