pantyhose

American  

[pan-tee-hohz] / ˈpæn tiˌhoʊz /

Or panty hose,

noun

1. (used with a plural verb) a one-piece, skintight garment worn by women, combining panties and stockings.

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pantyhose British  

/ ˈpæntɪˌhəʊz /

noun

1. Also called: pantihose.   tights.  a one-piece clinging garment covering the body from the waist to the feet, worn by women in place of stockings

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Etymology

Origin of pantyhose

First recorded in 1960–65

Explanation

Pantyhose are sheer tights, a garment that snugly covers your legs. It was once very common for certain jobs to require women to wear pantyhose. You might call pantyhose tights or stockings — this word is uncommon outside of the US, and it's typically used for a particularly thin, sheer hosiery with built-in underwear. Pantyhose were invented in the 1960s, replacing old fashioned knee-high stockings that were held in place with garters. The name pantyhose is a combination of panty, undergarment or underwear, and hose, which is short for hosiery.

Example Sentences

For one day a week, employees could jettison their suits and pantyhose and heels and wear… no one was quite sure at first, although Levi’s Dockers played a big role, at least for men.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 28, 2025

Air Force veteran Reality Winner smuggled out a classified report on Russian election hacking by tucking it in her pantyhose.

From Salon • Jun. 30, 2025

Nengudi asked Hassinger if she would perform with some sculptures Nengudi had made out of pantyhose; Hassinger said yes.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 7, 2023

Court records show that for the analysis, prosecutors submitted pantyhose, a skirt and shoes left behind to a California lab, but it didn’t find much.

From Washington Post • Oct. 20, 2022

A boy with lime-colored hair who looks like he’s channeling for an alien species dozes; two Goths in black velvet dresses and artfully torn pantyhose trade Mona Lisa smiles.

From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson

Related Words

• hosiery