trousers

American  

[trou-zerz] / ˈtraʊ zərz /

noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. Also called pants.  Sometimes a usually loose-fitting outer garment for the lower part of the body, having individual leg portions that reach typically to the ankle but sometimes to any of various other points from the upper leg down.

2. pantalets.

---

trousers British  

/ ˈtraʊzəz /

plural noun

1. a garment shaped to cover the body from the waist to the ankles or knees with separate tube-shaped sections for both legs

2. US equivalent: wear the pants.  informal to have control, esp in a marriage

---

Other Word Forms

• trousered adjective
• trouserless adjective

Etymology

Origin of trousers

1585–95; trouse (variant of trews ) + (draw)ers (in the sense “undergarment with legs”)

Compare meaning

How does trousers compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• trousers vs. slacks

Example Sentences

After the show, we grabbed a few minutes with the 71-year-old rock star, who wore a beaded vest and tight silver-and-black trousers and sipped from a red plastic cup.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026

The show unfolded as a procession of legging-like trousers cut close to the body, high-gloss leather and crystal-embellished dresses.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

For some game men, that means awfully bright trousers, worn with a wink.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

Clark, who wore a green jumper, black trousers and a beige coat in the dock, put her hand to her face.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

He turns as I enter, taking in my windblown hair and muddy trousers and shaking his head with contempt.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• knickers
• slacks