pants
Americannoun
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underpants, especially for women and children; panties.
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British. men's underpants, especially long drawers.
idioms
plural noun
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an undergarment reaching from the waist to the thighs or knees
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Also called: trousers. a garment shaped to cover the body from the waist to the ankles or knees with separate tube-shaped sections for both legs
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informal to bore extremely
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informal to scare extremely
adjective
Usage
What is a basic definition of pants? Pants are an article of clothing that extends from the waist to around the ankles and fits around each leg.Also known as trousers, pants are worn by people of all genders and ages. As opposed to a dress or a skirt, pants are divided down the middle and have openings for each leg. The fabric of pants wrap around each leg and usually extends to the ankles or at least past the knees.A single item of this clothing is called “a pair of pants” and multiple items are called “pairs of pants.” This article of clothing is never referred to as a “pant.”Pants is a general term for this type of clothing and is further divided into other specific kinds of pants, depending on fabric and cut. Jeans are pants made out of denim or corduroy, while leggings are close-fitting pants, often made out of a stretchy material like spandex.An article of clothing that is identical to pants but stops at or before the knee is referred to as a pair of shorts.
- Used in a sentence: She bought three new pairs of pants to wear with her new sweater.
Etymology
Origin of pants
1830–40; short for pantaloons
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Velasquez said he later saw the kitten clinging to the officer’s pants.
From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026
“If I lived in another country, my legs wouldn’t look like this,” she said, rolling up her pants to show the chronic sores on her calves.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2026
Luo wore a long-sleeved sweatshirt, pants, and head covering in the chamber.
From Science Daily • Mar. 22, 2026
She said the organisation had also come in handy for providing pants, trainers and shoes, as well as helping her to get the specific fleeces her special needs daughter required.
From BBC • Mar. 21, 2026
As soon as she’s gone, I jump up, take out my letter, and slip it carefully into the pocket of my work pants.
From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
