A leotard is a tight one-piece garment that covers the body from the shoulders down to the top of the legs, a little like a woman's swimsuit, but people wear it for dance, gymnastics, or exercise, not for swimming. It is often worn with tights. Women and girls wear leotards most often; men in ballet or gymnastics may wear them too. In a dance studio or gym the word is ordinary; if you never go to those places, you may hardly hear it. It is named after a real person, a French acrobat in the 1800s, Jules Léotard, who performed in clothing of this kind. The name stuck to the garment.