blue jeans

noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. close-fitting trousers made of blue denim or denimlike fabric, having pockets and seams often reinforced with rivets, and worn originally as work pants but now also as casual attire by persons of all ages.

Word History and Origins

Origin of blue jeans¹

First recorded in 1850–55

Related Words

• denims 
• dungarees www.thesaurus.com
• jeans 

When To Use

What are blue jeans?

Blue jeans are a type of pants traditionally made from denim (a kind of cotton fabric).Blue jeans are commonly just called jeans. Jeans can be other colors, but they’re most commonly blue. The defining feature of most jeans is that they’re made out of some kind of denim or denim-like fabric. Most jeans have seams and pockets that are reinforced with rivets—small metal fasteners.The word jeans can technically be used to refer to pants made from other materials, such as corduroy, but this isn’t common. For example, pants made out of corduroy are commonly called corduroys.Blue jeans were originally worn as pants for rugged work, but they are now most commonly worn as casual attire.Like the words pants and trousers, jeans is always used in the plural form when referring to the pants.The word jean (without an s at the end) can be used to refer to the material and is typically used as a modifier to describe garments that are made of this material, as in jean jacket or jean shorts.Example: I love being able to wear blue jeans to work on casual Fridays.