pants

[ pants ]

/ pænts /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for pants on Thesaurus.com

noun (used with a plural verb)

trousers (def. 1).

underpants, especially for women and children; panties.

British. men's underpants, especially long drawers.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about pants

wear the pants, to have the dominant role; be in charge: I guess we know who wears the pants in that family.

Origin of pants

1830–40; short for pantaloons

Words nearby pants

pantoum, pantropic, pantropical, pantry, pantryman, pants, pantsuit, pantun, panty, panty girdle, pantyhose

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT PANTS

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.

Among British English speakers, trousers is used to describe this article of clothing. Pants is used specifically to refer to undergarments, especially long drawers worn by men.

Where does pants come from?

The first records of pants come from the 1830s. It is a shortening of the older word pantaloons, which refers to a men’s close-fitting garment worn around the legs, especially popular in the 19th century.

Did you know ... ?

What are some synonyms for pants?

What are some words that share a root or word element with pants?

What are some words that often get used in discussing pants?

How is pants used in real life?

Pants is an extremely common word to refer to a very common article of clothing.

Been wearing my pants inside out all day. Only just noticed.

— Patrick Grant (@paddygrant) December 14, 2020

Yes, I am interviewing the CEO of a major travel brand on Zoom this morning and, no, I will not be wearing pants. Carry on! #freelancing

— Matt Villano (@mattvillano) December 11, 2020

I already spilled salsa on my brand new pants :(

— Kel (@4CripesCake) December 17, 2020

Try using pants!

True or False?

The fabric of pants stops above the knee.

How to use pants in a sentence

The Squeeze pants feature cargo-style pockets, with a zippered one in the front for tons of storage.
The Gear Our Editors Loved in July|wtaylor|August 6, 2021|Outside Online
Fast fashion sites like Shein have been churning out their takes on the pants trend at a ferocious pace.
Pants are fun now|Melinda Fakuade|March 5, 2021|Vox
It’s hard to see how we can go back to a world of plain denim when there are pants options out there for everyone.
Pants are fun now|Melinda Fakuade|March 5, 2021|Vox
The only other acceptable place to wear or carry a beacon is in an internally sewn, beacon-specific pants pocket.
Know How to Use Your Avalanche Transceiver|Amelia Arvesen|March 2, 2021|Outside Online

Its sliding outer case features a belt clip that keeps it from jumping out of your pants pocket and also functions as a stand.
Best iPhone cases for protection and style|PopSci Commerce Team|February 26, 2021|Popular-Science
So here I am in my requisite Lululemon pants, grunting along to an old hip-hop song at a most ungodly hour.
How Taryn Toomey’s ‘The Class’ Became New York’s Latest Fitness Craze|Lizzie Crocker|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
He wore white gloves, a dignified long black coat, and matching pants and vest, and he carried a dark walking stick.
The Black Man Who Replaced Jefferson Davis in the Senate|Philip Dray|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
If you Google “Muslim Christmas tree star” you will see a list of right-wing websites wetting their pants over this.
Why Muslims Love Jesus Too|Dean Obeidallah|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Plaza Hotel cooked a fancy-pants latke with red wine braised oxtail, horseradish sunchoke cream, and crispy kale.
I Ate Potato Pancakes Til I Plotzed|Emily Shire|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Shirtless bros with pillowy lips and cargo pants pulled down to expose tufts of pubic hair.
Abercrombie & Ditch: The Fall of the House of Tween|Lizzie Crocker|December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
You're ridin' game in a tough place, as any man has to do who starts with only his pants and his head on.
You Never Know Your Luck, Complete|Gilbert Parker
He is an old, grizzled man dressed in dungaree pants, a sweater, and a woolen cap with ear flaps.
Fifty Contemporary One-Act Plays|Various
He wears the same corduroy pants that Uncle Ben gave him on his twenty-first birthday.
David Lannarck, Midget|George S. Harney
He was of middle age, black as anthracite coal, bald-headed, (p. 226) and was dressed in pants and coat made of old sailcloth.
The Boys of '61|Charles Carleton Coffin.
He was dressed in pants made of old sailcloth, and the tattered cast-off blouse of a Union soldier.
The Boys of '61|Charles Carleton Coffin.

British Dictionary definitions for pants

pants

/ (pænts) /

pl n

British an undergarment reaching from the waist to the thighs or knees

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

bore the pants off informal to bore extremely

scare the pants off informal to scare extremely

adjective

British slang inferior

Word Origin for pants

C19: shortened from pantaloons; see pantaloon

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with pants

pants

In addition to the idiom beginning with pants

pants off, the

also see:

ants in one's pants
beat the pants off
caught with one's pants down
get the lead out of (one's pants)
kick in the pants
seat of the pants
talk someone's arm (pants) off
wear the pants

pants

Idioms about pants

Origin of pants

Words nearby pants

MORE ABOUT PANTS

What is a basic definition of pants?

Where does pants come from?

Did you know ... ?

How is pants used in real life?

Try using pants!

Words related to pants

How to use pants in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for pants

Word Origin for pants

Other Idioms and Phrases with pants