trouser

American  

[trau-zer] / ˈtraʊ zər /

adjective

1. of or relating to trousers or a trouser.

   trouser cuffs; a trouser seam.

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noun

1. a leg of a pair of trousers.

trouser British  

/ ˈtraʊzə /

noun

1. (modifier) of or relating to trousers

   trouser buttons

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verb

1. slang (tr) to take (something, esp money), sometimes surreptitiously, undeservedly or unlawfully

Etymology

Origin of trouser

First recorded in 1600–10; back formation from trousers

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Explanation

A pair of trousers is a two-legged piece of clothing you wear on the bottom half of your body. It's easier to climb a fence while wearing trousers than a long dress. In the U.S., most people refer to trousers as pants, while in the U.K. pants are underwear. If you cut your trousers off above your knees, they become shorts, and if they're made out of denim, you can call them jeans. In Scotland, trousers are sometimes called trews, one possible root of the word. Another source may be the Gaelic triubhas, "close-fitting shorts."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

trouser

They were J.Crew socks: tiny lobsters, reindeer, tasteful little acts of rebellion occurring mostly below the trouser cuff.

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026

Poised and polished, with a penchant for trouser suits and a practiced smile, she grew up around heads of state.

From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026

Doechii, also rocking Vuitton, went for a more outre LV-monogrammed suit and trouser shorts with a maroon bow tie.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 6, 2025

A range of merchandise - including a hippo-inspired shirt and trouser combination - is now available to purchase at the zoo and online.

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2024

He wriggled out, seized Hedwig’s empty cage, and dashed back downstairs to his trunk, just as Uncle Vernon burst out of the dining room, his trouser leg in bloody tatters.

From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling

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