My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Pedants' corner

Bosoms or bosom?

6 replies

biryani · 15/07/2013 23:01

Is there such a word as "bosoms"? . I keep hearing it, although I always thought "bosom"was the correct word describe two breasts. Am I right?

OP posts:
Report
daddoinghisbest · 16/07/2013 17:40

My dictionary says a Bosom is a woman's breast or breasts, but I'd say most people would refer to a woman's chest as her bosom. I suppose a pair of women would have two bosoms though, so the plural would apply. Also, a man could be said to hold a child to his bosom meaning his chest, and then there's the bosom of the family of course. No breasts at all there.

Report
daddoinghisbest · 16/07/2013 17:44

P.S. where do you keep hearing 'bosoms'? Do people really say bosom (plural or singular) nowadays? :-)

Report
ThreeBeeOneGee · 16/07/2013 17:45

One bosom, or two breasts.

Report
biryani · 16/07/2013 21:11

Daddo: yes, when referring to breasts. Gok Wan et al seem to constantly refer to " bosoms" when talking about breasts, rather than bosom,.

OP posts:
Report
MirandaGoshawk · 18/07/2013 19:34

Bosoms is what we used to say as children. Gok is being all coy Hmm

Report
ArgyMargy · 21/07/2013 13:51

But surely you can have one breast, as in chest? The breastbone suggests this. I think bosoms are a childhood word as no kids would say breasts when sniggering about body parts. You can also pronounce it bazooms with accent on the ooms for extra self-protection...

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.