pant

¹ American  

[pant] / pænt /

verb (used without object)

1. to breathe hard and quickly, as after exertion.

   Synonyms:

   vibrate, throb, pulse, pulsate, pound, blow, wheeze, puff, heave

2. to gasp, as for air.

3. to long with breathless or intense eagerness; yearn.

   to pant for revenge.

   Synonyms:

   covet, thirst, hunger, hanker

4. to throb or heave violently or rapidly; palpitate.

5. to emit steam or the like in loud puffs.

6. Nautical. (of the bow or stern of a ship) to work with the shock of contact with a succession of waves.

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verb (used with object)

1. to breathe or utter gaspingly.

noun

1. the act of panting.

2. a short, quick, labored effort at breathing; gasp.

3. a puff, as of an engine.

4. a throb or heave, as of the breast.

pant ² American  

[pant] / pænt /

adjective

1. of or relating to pants.

   pant cuffs.

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noun

1. pant leg.

2. pants.

pant- ³ American  

1. variant of panto- before a vowel.

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pant British  

/ pænt /

verb

1. to breathe with noisy deep gasps, as when out of breath from exertion or excitement

2. to say (something) while breathing thus

3. to have a frantic desire (for); yearn

4. (intr) to pulsate; throb rapidly

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noun

1. the act or an instance of panting

2. a short deep gasping noise; puff

Usage

What does pant- mean? Pant- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “all.” It is occasionally used in a variety of scientific and technical terms. Pant- comes from the Greek pâs, meaning “all.” The equivalent form derived from Latin is omni-, as in omnivore, which comes from Latin omnis, “all.”What are variants of pan-?Pant- is a variant of panto-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Another common variant of pant- is pan-, as in panhuman. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles on pan- and panto-.

Related Words

Pant, gasp suggest breathing with more effort than usual. Pant suggests rapid, convulsive breathing, as from violent exertion or excitement: to pant after running for the train. Gasp suggests catching one's breath in a single quick intake, as from amazement, terror, and the like, or a series of such quick intakes of breath, as in painful breathing: to gasp with horror; to gasp for breath.

Other Word Forms

• pantingly adverb
• unpanting adjective

Etymology

Origin of pant¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English verb panten, from Old French pant(a)is(i)er, from unattested Vulgar Latin phantasiāre “to have visions,” from Greek phantasioûn “to have or form images”; fantasy

Origin of pant²

First recorded in 1890–95; singular of pants

Explanation

When you breathe hard and fast, you pant. It's perfectly normal to pant after you finish running a marathon — or even after chasing your runaway dog through the neighborhood. You might pause at the top of a hill to pant and catch your breath before you continue on your hike. That loud, gasping breath itself is also a pant — but when this noun is plural, it means trousers, slacks, or jeans. Be careful, though — in parts of the UK, pants are primarily women's undergarments. Any pants you wear on you body come from pantaloons, which in the 1600s meant tights.

Example Sentences

Deftly styling a loud pant says you don’t need a remedial lesson in the ridiculous life here.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

Dogs pant to keep themselves cool, but the shorter snouts of certain flat-faced breeds like bulldogs and pugs make this difficult.

From BBC • Aug. 12, 2025

“Then why do you have a cat?” one guy asked, as Seuss sniffed his pant cuff suspiciously.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2025

I guess you could say, she and I are both feeling extra grateful this year and will be happier than a possum up a pant leg on Christmas Eve.

From Salon • Dec. 19, 2024

The fire burns, the smoke rises, Manchee’s tongue hangs out in a stunned pant, till finally I say, “Viola.”

From "The Knife of Never Letting Go" by Patrick Ness

Related Words

• breathe heavily