cords

American

[kawrdz] / kɔrdz /

noun

(used with a plural verb) clothing, especially trousers, of corded corded fabric; corduroys.

cords British

/ kɔːdz /

plural noun

trousers, esp jeans, made of corduroy

"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 cords

First recorded in 1770–80; plural of cord

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.

Her dad said afterward that acid reflux had made her vocal cords swell, necessitating the last-minute switch from live to Memorex.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

At the time, she felt it was impossible to take time off, and experimented with singing in a lower register to ease the stress on her vocal cords.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

When the extension cords running to the back popped the circuit breakers, repeatedly, he tried to curtail electricity usage in the camp.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

With further development, Stupp said these miniature spinal cords could contribute to personalized medicine by generating implantable tissue from a patient's own stem cells, reducing the risk of immune rejection.

From Science Daily • Feb. 16, 2026

Bailey is the one who has hair braided in big thick cords and pinned back into a maze of rows that make a full bun at the back of her head.

From "Piecing Me Together" by Renée Watson

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