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

However, the condition worsened, "sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I'm used to," she told NBC News.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

Speaking in a strained whisper, the effect of a rare illness of the vocal cords, Page suggested that Hassabis’s company-building endeavors might be similarly pointless.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

“Charge my phone?” asked another, and Gil submitted the device into a tangle of cords growing from a surge protector.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

Dalton lumbers by carrying a box of guitar and microphone cords.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

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