knee pants

American  

plural noun

1. knee-length pants, especially those formerly worn by boys considered too young to wear full-length trousers (often used as a term symbolizing youth).

   I haven't felt this way since I was in knee pants.

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Etymology

Origin of knee pants

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

As a page in knee pants at the Oklahoma legislature, he wrote a critical piece on the state senate, shyly showed it to a reporter.

From Time Magazine Archive

With adolescence, he began to sprout like a weed, fought a squeaky voice and grew round-shouldered trying to carry conviction as a boy in blue knee pants.

From Time Magazine Archive

At ten, a chunky, blond child in velvet knee pants, he played the Beethoven Concerto with the New York Symphony.

From Time Magazine Archive

With his parents and six brothers & sisters, Donald toured the U.S. three times before he was out of knee pants.

From Time Magazine Archive

At seven and nine years old—blurs of untucked shirts, grimy knee pants, and stockings bagging down around their ankles— they overtook the shop with their noise.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu