plural bikinis
1
a
: a two-piece bathing suit worn by women that does not cover the midriff see also string bikini, tankini
b
: a short snug swimsuit worn by men
2
: a pair of low-cut briefs (see brief entry 2 sense 4)
Launched in May, the underwear brand for men and women includes bikinis, … G-strings and boxer briefs.—
Phyllis Furman
Phyllis Furman… ultra low-rise jeans with a built-in bikini or thong.—Sunday Tribune (South Africa)
—often used before another nounSunday Tribune (South Africa)Bikini briefs are usually lower than the true waist, often at the hips.—Clifford Pugh
Clifford PughExamples of bikini in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In the video, the former Gossip Girl star soaked up the clear blue waters and the gorgeous sunset of the island while wearing a taupe, two-piece bikini.
—Starr Bowenbank, People.com, 10 Apr. 2025
In went sunglasses, a bikini, a bucket hat, a portable charger, a digital camera, AirPods, a hair clip, lip balm, SPF, hand sanitizer, a card wallet, an asthma puffer, an EpiPen, and my current crochet project, complete with yarn and a hook.
—Annita Katee, Travel + Leisure, 5 Apr. 2025
Kylie’s bikini selfies are giving us motivation to go bare-faced this spring.
—Kleigh Balugo, StyleCaster, 25 Mar. 2025
Wear each piece together as a set, or mix and match with other bikini tops and bottoms in your closet.
—Averi Baudler, People.com, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bikini
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.
Starr Bowenbank, People.com, 10 Apr. 2025
In went sunglasses, a bikini, a bucket hat, a portable charger, a digital camera, AirPods, a hair clip, lip balm, SPF, hand sanitizer, a card wallet, an asthma puffer, an EpiPen, and my current crochet project, complete with yarn and a hook.
—Annita Katee, Travel + Leisure, 5 Apr. 2025
Kylie’s bikini selfies are giving us motivation to go bare-faced this spring.
—Kleigh Balugo, StyleCaster, 25 Mar. 2025
Wear each piece together as a set, or mix and match with other bikini tops and bottoms in your closet.
—Averi Baudler, People.com, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bikini
Cite this Entry
“Bikini.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bikini. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bikini
noun
bi·ki·ni
bə-ˈkē-nē 
: a scanty two-piece bathing suit for a girl or woman
Etymology
from French bikini "two-piece bathing suit," from Bikini, atoll in the Marshall Islands
Geographical Definition
Bikini
geographical name
Bi·ki·ni
bi-ˈkē-nē
island (atoll) of the Marshall Islands
Note: Bikini was the site of U.S. atomic bomb tests in 1946 and hydrogen bomb tests in 1954 and 1956.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share