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tighty-whities

American  
[tahy-tee-hwahy-teez, wahy-teez] / ˈtaɪ ti-ˈʰwaɪ tiz, ˈwaɪ tiz /

plural noun

Slang.
  1. men’s white, close-fitting underpants or briefs.


Etymology

Origin of tighty-whities

First recorded in 1990–95; tight ( def. ) + -y 2 ( def. ) + whit(e) ( def. ) + -y 2 ( def. ) + -s 3 ( def. )

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.

In the locker room at school, he was teased for wearing tighty whities instead of boxers.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 5, 2024

Film is for people who want to lose themselves in an impossible Fiat chase alongside a man who had them at sliding across the floor in his tighty whities.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 12, 2023

Picture Walter White standing in front of his broken-down trailer in his tighty whities, ready to face his fate, his feet on stony ground and surrounded by brush.

From Salon • Apr. 21, 2020

That is, after he spoke extensively about what it's like for his "Goldbergs" patriarch to be in his tighty whities all day: "Not enjoyable," he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 5, 2015

It came in the form of Polaroids from Warhol of a model in his tighty whities — photos that Mr. Braun still has, in their original envelope, at his Manhattan apartment today.

From New York Times • Jun. 7, 2015

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