culottes

or cu·lotte

[koo-lots, kyoo-]

See more synonyms for culottes on Thesaurus.com

plural noun

women's trousers, usually knee-length or calf-length, cut full to resemble a skirt.

Origin of culottes

1835–45; < French: literally, breeches, equivalent to cul rump + -ottes, plural of -otte, feminine of -ot noun suffix. See culet

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for culottes

petticoat, dress, kilt, sarong, hoop, mini, dirndl, pannier, midi, culottes, tutu

Examples from the Web for culottes

Historical Examples of culottes

The following one was new to me as a name, not as a dish, which was simple enough, "Culottes de bœuf à la fermière."
Punch, or the London Charivari. Volume 93, September 10, 1887
Various
I cite the original Latin, as the word calig has been wrongly rendered by the French translator into culottes.
History of the Reign of Philip the Second, King of Spain.
William H. Prescott

British Dictionary definitions for culottes

culottes

pl n

women's flared trousers cut to look like a skirt

Word Origin for culottes

C20: from French, literally: breeches, from cul bottom; see culet

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

Word Origin and History for culottes

"a divided skirt," 1911, from French culotte "breeches" (16c.), a diminutive of cul "bottom, backside, backside, anus," from Latin culus "bottom, fundament." Earlier, in the singular cullote, it was used to mean "knee-breeches" (1842). Por le cul bieu "By God's arse" was an Old French oath.