trousers

American  

[trau-zerz] / ˈtraʊ zərz /

noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. Also called pants. Sometimes a usually loose-fitting outer garment for the lower part of the body, having individual leg portions that reach typically to the ankle but sometimes to any of various other points from the upper leg down.

2. pantalets.

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trousers British  

/ ˈtraʊzəz /

plural noun

1. a garment shaped to cover the body from the waist to the ankles or knees with separate tube-shaped sections for both legs

2. US equivalent: wear the pants. informal to have control, esp in a marriage

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Other Word Forms

• trousered
  adjective
• trouserless
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of trousers

1585–95; trouse (variant of trews ) + (draw)ers (in the sense “undergarment with legs”)

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Compare meaning

How does trousers compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• trousers vs. slacks

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

trousers

Zips were used to modulate the length of skirts, they ran across leather jackets and down a flared blue pair of trousers.

From Barron's ● Oct. 3, 2026

About 09:41, footage showed Brennan putting his blood stained trousers in a clothing bin near MacGregor's flat.

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026

But when he ripped off his "boring black trousers" to reveal a pair of tartan trews during a rendition of Donald, Where's Your Troosers? there was no doubt of his heritage.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

Suit trousers were paired with a leather jacket, a boater hat and ballet slippers.

From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026

She hadn’t ever seen another woman ride a horse like the princess did, or wear trousers like a man, or hurl a dagger with such rage.

From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack

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Related Words

• knickers
• slacks

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