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• pant
  pant

  verb (used without object)

  to breathe hard and quickly, as after exertion.
• pant-
  pant-

  variant of panto- before a vowel.

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”; see 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

Bennett completed the training late last year and is now a tailor’s apprentice at the department-store chain, where he is getting real-life experience on the intricacies of pant hems.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 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

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 program featured a photo of Graham smiling in a tie, his suit coat thrown over his shoulder, his pant legs rolled up as he stood calf deep in Everglades muck.

From Seattle Times • May 11, 2024

I pant as the bag passes under the glow of the streetlamp.

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman

Related Words

• breathe heavily