Definition of "cheongsam"

cheongsam

noun
plural cheongsams or cheongsam
1. A tight-fitting Chinese formal woman's dress, usually brightly coloured, patterned and/or embroidered, with a split at the thigh.
  Quotations
  France Nuyen, and later Nancy Kwan, sexualized the cheongsam. Though people remember Kwan's movie portrayal of Suzie Wong, before her Nuyen earned fame and plaudits playing the prostitute with a heart of gold on Broadway.
  2006, Shirley Jennifer Lim, A Feeling of Belonging: Asian American Women's Public Culture, 1930-1960, NYU Press
  A white velvet cheongsam! Except for people in movies, I've never seen anyone look as good in a cheongsam as she does.
  2011, Su Tong, Madwoman on the Bridge, Random House
2. (Hong Kong) A plain coloured, tight-fitting dress with a short split at the thigh, worn as a school uniform by schoolgirls.
  Quotations
  [C]otton cheongsams are still the uniform at several colleges and secondary schools.
  2010, Anthony Sattin, Hong Kong & Macau, page 160
3. A long formal dress-like garment or robe worn by Asian men.