underpants

American

[uhn-der-pants] / ˈʌn dərˌpænts /

noun

(used with a plural verb)

drawers or shorts worn under outer clothing, usually next to the skin.

underpants British

/ ˈʌndəˌpænts /

plural noun

Often shortened to: pants. a man's undergarment covering the body from the waist or hips to the top of the thighs or knees

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of underpants

First recorded in 1920–25; under- + pants

Vocabulary lists containing underpants

Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Prefixes: under-

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Hill was arrested late at night on Ventura Boulevard in his underpants and cowboy boots.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

Joining NFL team without a good QB is scarier than showing up to Day One in your underpants.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 14, 2026

What if Superman ripped his underpants on his quest to save you?

From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2025

In 2019, a pair of underpants believed to have belonged to Eva Braun, Hitler’s wife, were gaveled at almost $5,000.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 14, 2023

When I’m alone, I let the dishes accumulate in the sink, I allow colored fur to grow in jars of leftovers, I use up all my underpants before washing any of them.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023