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• jean
  jean

  noun

  Sometimes jeans a sturdy twilled fabric, usually of cotton.
• Jean
  Jean

  noun

  1921–2019, Grand Duke of Luxembourg 1964–2000.

jean

¹ American  

[jeen, jeyn] / dʒin, dʒeɪn /

noun

1. Sometimes jeans a sturdy twilled fabric, usually of cotton.

2. (used with a plural verb) jeans,

   1. blue jeans.

   2. pants of various fabrics, styled or constructed like blue jeans.

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Jean ² American  

[zhahn, jeen] / ʒɑ̃, dʒin /

noun

1. 1921–2019, Grand Duke of Luxembourg 1964–2000.

2. a male given name, form of John.

3. a female given name.

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Jean ¹ British  

/ ʒɑ̃ /

noun

1. born 1921, full name Jean Benoît Guillaume Robert Antoine Louis Marie Adolphe Marc d'Aviano , grand duke of Luxembourg (1964–2000)

2. Michaelle. born 1957, in Haiti. Canadian stateswoman and broadcaster; governor-general from 2005

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jean ² British  

/ dʒiːn /

noun

1. a tough twill-weave cotton fabric used for hard-wearing trousers, overalls, etc See also jeans

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Usage

What does jean mean? The word jean refers to the kind of material used to make jeans, as in blue jeans—a type of pants. Jeans are traditionally made from denim, a kind of cotton fabric. Today, jeans are made from a variety of fabrics and fabric blends, but they’re still called jeans if they resemble denim blue jeans. In this way, the word jean isn’t commonly used as a name of a kind of material until after it’s been made into jeans. Jean is most commonly used as a modifier to describe garments that are made of denim or the kind of fabric that blue jeans are made of, as in jean shorts, jean jacket (also commonly called a denim jacket), and jean shirt. Example: I used to wear a jean jacket with a bunch of patches on it.

Other Word Forms

• jeaned
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of jean

1485–95; short for jean fustian, earlier Gene(s) fustian Genoese or Genoa fustian

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

jean Jean

Kontoor said the deal will allow it to focus investment and execution on its higher-growth brands, particularly its Wrangler jean brand and its Helly Hansen outdoor clothing business.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

In May of that year, Epstein emailed Todt to say "jean, sorry it was so short and Terje did not give me any notice in advance to help with the fun".

From BBC ● Feb. 4, 2026

Many of the shocked faces watching Cena’s loss on Saturday night were children, decked out in imitations of Cena’s classic look of armbands and jean shorts.

From Salon ● Dec. 14, 2025

April and Hunter were close, often sporting matching jean jackets with Winnie-the-Pooh embroidered on the back, a nod to the charmed time they had spent in Florida, when they had frequented Disney World.

From Slate ● Oct. 15, 2024

She’s wearing a skirt and heels, and I kick myself for not putting on lip gloss or wearing something nicer than jean shorts and a T-shirt.

From "Rules" by Cynthia Lord

While it would be terrific to liken her fate to that of Deborah Vance on “Hacks,” at least Jean Smart’s diva got a Vegas rebirth.

From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026

Elsewhere, Jean Smart won best comedy actress for her role in the fifth and final series of Hacks.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

And it will indeed be a big night, particularly if you are Jean Smart or a cast member of “The Pitt” and “Widow’s Bay.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

Vittorio Amedeo Cigna-Santi’s libretto, based on a 1673 tragedy by Jean Racine, is political and personal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

I’m sure of it when Ti Jean, who is accompanying us along with the clinic’s pharmacist, asks if I’ve brought my flashlight.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French