bathing beauty

noun

: a woman in a bathing suit who is a contestant in a beauty contest

Examples of bathing beauty in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The bathing beauty revue served as a post Labor Day festivity that garnered many city visitors. Brittany Chambers, Forbes, 21 Dec. 2021 The Coen Brothers lovingly send up everyone from famous gossip columnist Louella Parsons to bathing beauty Esther Williams. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 13 Aug. 2020 The swimsuit competition dates to the founding of the crowning of Miss America in 1921 as a bathing beauty revue in Atlantic City, New Jersey. NBC News, 6 June 2018 The competition began nearly 100 years ago in Atlantic City, New Jersey, as a bathing beauty contest designed to keep tourists coming to the seaside resort in the weekend after Labor Day. Wayne Parry, BostonGlobe.com, 5 June 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1916, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bathing beauty was in 1916

Dictionary Entries Near bathing beauty

Cite this Entry

“Bathing beauty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bathing%20beauty. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on bathing beauty

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!