beachwear: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral
Quick answer
What does “beachwear” mean?
Clothing suitable for wearing on a beach.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Clothing suitable for wearing on a beach.
Any clothing, footwear, or accessories designed for use at the beach, poolside, or on holiday in warm climates. This includes swimwear, cover-ups, sandals, hats, and lightweight garments.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. The concept is identical. 'Swimwear' is a more common near-synonym in both varieties.
Connotations
In both varieties, strongly associated with holidays, leisure, summer, and resort fashion retail.
Frequency
Equally common in both BrE and AmE, particularly in retail, fashion, and travel contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “beachwear” in a Sentence
NOUN + beachwear (e.g., children's beachwear)ADJECTIVE + beachwear (e.g., fashionable beachwear)VERB + beachwear (e.g., sell/pack/wear beachwear)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “beachwear” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The beachwear market is highly seasonal.
- She works in beachwear design.
American English
- We checked out the beachwear section at the mall.
- It's a popular beachwear brand.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in retail, fashion, marketing, and tourism (e.g., 'The company's Q2 revenue was driven by strong beachwear sales.').
Academic
Rare, potentially in studies of tourism, fashion history, or consumer culture.
Everyday
Common in conversation about holidays, shopping, and packing (e.g., 'I need to buy some new beachwear for my trip.').
Technical
Used in fashion design and textile manufacturing (e.g., 'Fabrics for beachwear must be UV-resistant and quick-drying.')
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “beachwear”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “beachwear”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “beachwear”
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'a beachwear' is incorrect).
- Spelling as two words: 'beach wear' (standard is one word or hyphenated: beachwear or beach-wear).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. 'Swimwear' refers specifically to clothing for swimming (swimsuits, trunks). 'Beachwear' is a broader category that includes swimwear plus cover-ups, hats, sandals, and other accessories for the beach.
No. 'Beachwear' is an uncountable (mass) noun. You cannot pluralise it. To refer to multiple items, say 'pieces of beachwear' or simply 'beachwear' (e.g., 'I bought some beachwear').
There is no direct single-word opposite. Contextual opposites include 'winter wear', 'formal attire', 'business clothes', or 'outerwear'.
While the word exists year-round, its frequency of use peaks in spring and summer in temperate climates, or in contexts related to travel to warm destinations. It is perennial in the fashion and retail industries.
Clothing suitable for wearing on a beach.
Beachwear is usually neutral in register.
Beachwear: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbiːtʃweə(r)/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbiːtʃwer/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “(none directly associated)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the BEACH + what you WEAR there = BEACHWEAR.
Conceptual Metaphor
LEISURE IS A CONTAINER FOR SPECIALISED CLOTHING (e.g., 'pack your beachwear').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following items would LEAST likely be classified as beachwear?