corduroys

British  

/ ˈkɔːdəˌrɔɪz, ˌkɔːdəˈrɔɪz /

plural noun

1. trousers or breeches of corduroy

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Explanation

Corduroys are a kind of pants or trousers made from a soft, ridged fabric called corduroy. When jeans seem a little bit too casual, you might decide to wear your orange corduroys instead. Corduroys are often cut exactly like jeans, the only difference being in the cloth from which they're made — corduroy instead of denim. Both fabrics are traditionally woven from cotton, but corduroy's twisted fibers, or cords, form a ridged, raised pattern you can feel with your fingertips. It's commonly said the word comes from the French corde du roi, "cord of the king," though experts aren't convinced of this source.

Example Sentences

A similar remark was made when Jeffries evaluated a pair of women corduroys which he deemed were too masculine.

From Salon • Apr. 20, 2022

If her mother, my grandmother, wanted to take her shopping at Ann Taylor or Eileen Fisher, she probably said no, she was cool with her corduroys.

From New York Times • Mar. 4, 2022

Sepia, the reddish brown hue associated with the monochrome images of early cinema, was evoked in printed baggy corduroys and an emerald green leather jacket evoked the start of technicolor.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 21, 2022

A 28-year-old Lorraine Hansberry descends the steps of a theater in a black dress with jeweled earrings — a stark contrast from her typical chinos or corduroys, button-down shirts, cardigans, white sneakers and socks.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 22, 2020

Inside were all the clothes I’d chosen myself: the crew neck sweaters in primary colors, the Lacoste shirts, the wide-wale corduroys.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Related Words

• knickers
• shorts
• slacks
• trousers
• underpants