denim

American  

[den-uhm] / ˈdɛn əm /

noun

1. a heavy, Z-twist, twill cotton for jeans, overalls, and other work and leisure garments.

2. a similar fabric of finer quality, for covering cushions, furniture, etc.

3. (used with a plural verb) denims, a garment, especially trousers or overalls, made of denim.

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denim British  

/ ˈdɛnɪm /

noun

1. 1. a hard-wearing twill-weave cotton fabric used for trousers, work clothes, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a denim jacket

2. 1. a similar lighter fabric used in upholstery

   2. ( as modifier )

      denim cushion covers

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Etymology

Origin of denim

1685–95; < French: short for serge de Nîmes serge of Nîmes

Explanation

Denim is a kind of heavy cotton material that's used to make jeans. Denim is usually dark blue, and mostly used to make durable work wear, like jeans and overalls. In some places, people call blue jeans denims. The word comes from a French phrase serge de Nîmes, "serge from Nîmes, France." "Serge" is a sturdy twill fabric, and Nîmes is a town where it was famously made. Denim was first used in American English around 1850.

Example Sentences

While US orders accounted for only around 10 percent of his company's foreign trade, Zhou said the country is a fast fashion hub with "massive demand" for apparel, especially denim.

From Barron's • Apr. 23, 2026

As he spoke, a woman in a blue denim dress wiped tears from her eyes as another woman squeezed her shoulder in comfort.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

A premium Japanese denim producer, for example, might supply several labels, from Gucci to McQueen or Balenciaga, rather than working with just one.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

The denim giant provided the upbeat outlook, as well as its fiscal first-quarter results, as Wall Street tries to assess the war’s impact on consumer demand.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

There’s this drone of quiet conversation and denim rustling against seats.

From "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli