pinafore

noun

pin·​a·​fore ˈpi-nə-ˌfȯr How to pronounce pinafore (audio)
: a sleeveless usually low-necked garment fastened in the back and worn as an apron or dress
pinafored
ˈpi-nə-ˌfȯrd How to pronounce pinafore (audio)
adjective

Examples of pinafore in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
One photograph shows a young girl in a stiff pinafore, her hair twisted into ringlets and head tilted away from the sun. — Fiorella Valdesolo, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2025 Kids don pinafores, bonnets, and straw hats to study in the one-room schoolhouse, then learn to drive a team of horses or mules and clatter along in a pony cart. — Alicia Underlee Nelson, Midwest Living, 22 June 2026 Frame is getting to the fall spirit with a cotton denim pinafore dress and corduroy coordinates. — Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 19 Sep. 2025 For example, mixing classic silhouettes—think blue blazers, turtle necks, and pinafores—with a punk/grunge influence will be a staple in the halls this school year. — Hitha Herzog, Parents, 10 July 2023 See All Example Sentences for pinafore

Word History

Etymology

pin entry 2 + afore

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pinafore was in 1782

Rhymes for pinafore

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Browse Nearby Words

pinacyanol
pinafore
pinak-
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pinafore.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pinafore. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

pinafore

noun
pin·​afore
ˈpin-ə-ˌfō(ə)r, 
-ˌfȯ(ə)r
: a low-necked sleeveless garment worn especially by children

More from Merriam-Webster on pinafore

Nglish: Translation of pinafore for Spanish Speakers

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