Dictionary

Petticoat — a piece of clothing used to be worn under a skirt or a dress as an undergarment. The word “petticoat” came from Middle English “pety cote”, meaning “a small gown”. In the beginning of the 19th century, women’s dresses became narrower and simpler, so petticoats started to lose their popularity. But then, in the 1820s, waltz became popular, so petticoats revived in Europe and the USA.