pantyhose

American  

[pan-tee-hohz] / ˈpæn tiˌhoʊz /

Or panty hose,

noun

1. (used with a plural verb) a one-piece, skintight garment worn by women, combining panties and stockings.

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pantyhose British  

/ ˈpæntɪˌhəʊz /

noun

1. Also called: pantihose, tights. a one-piece clinging garment covering the body from the waist to the feet, worn by women in place of stockings

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Etymology

Origin of pantyhose

First recorded in 1960–65

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Explanation

Pantyhose are sheer tights, a garment that snugly covers your legs. It was once very common for certain jobs to require women to wear pantyhose. You might call pantyhose tights or stockings — this word is uncommon outside of the US, and it's typically used for a particularly thin, sheer hosiery with built-in underwear. Pantyhose were invented in the 1960s, replacing old fashioned knee-high stockings that were held in place with garters. The name pantyhose is a combination of panty, undergarment or underwear, and hose, which is short for hosiery.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pantyhose

Worse, I was wearing a dress and thin pantyhose.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 20, 2026

Nengudi asked Hassinger if she would perform with some sculptures Nengudi had made out of pantyhose; Hassinger said yes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2023

When each bar of soap dissolves to a sliver, she collects each fragment, places them into the cut-off foot of a pair of old pantyhose, and ties it shut.

From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2023

Mosby said her office recently tested Lee’s skirt, pantyhose, jacket and shoes for DNA using new technology that can detect DNA left behind when someone touches a surface.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 11, 2022

I already have black pantyhose and my black combat boots.

From "Like Vanessa" by Tami Charles

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Related Words

• hosiery

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