loincloth

American  

[loin-klawth, -kloth] / ˈlɔɪnˌklɔθ, -ˌklɒθ /

noun

loincloths plural

1. a piece of cloth worn around the loins or hips, especially in tropical regions as the only item of clothing.

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loincloth British  

/ ˈlɔɪnˌklɒθ /

noun

1. Also called: breechcloth.  a piece of cloth worn round the loins

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• loincloths
  plural

Etymology

Origin of loincloth

First recorded in 1855–60; loin + cloth

Example Sentences

In Japan, the duo even tried their hand at sumo wrestling and Si remembers Dave had gone the extra mile to make sure he looked good in his loincloth.

From BBC • Dec. 6, 2024

The earliest form of underwear was a loincloth.

From National Geographic • Jan. 9, 2024

Ryuichi Yamamoto, a 600-pound retired pro who still dresses the part in his mawashi loincloth and top knot for practice, coaches from the corner, giggling and shouting instructions as his students grapple and shove.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 9, 2022

I walked into the Hotel Bonvecchiati and found myself face-to-face with a statue of a black-skinned man in a loincloth holding a lamp.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 19, 2018

In his loincloth and war paint, his hair matted with burrs and feathers, he really did look like a wild creature, small and fierce among the towering goldenrod and thistles.

From "The Old Willis Place" by Mary Downing Hahn