denim

American  

[den-uhm] / ˈdɛn əm /

noun

1. a heavy, Z-twist, twill cotton for jeans, overalls, and other work and leisure garments.

2. a similar fabric of finer quality, for covering cushions, furniture, etc.

3. (used with a plural verb) denims, a garment, especially trousers or overalls, made of denim.

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denim British  

/ ˈdɛnɪm /

noun

1. 1. a hard-wearing twill-weave cotton fabric used for trousers, work clothes, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a denim jacket

2. 1. a similar lighter fabric used in upholstery

   2. ( as modifier )

      denim cushion covers

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Etymology

Origin of denim

1685–95; < French: short for serge de Nîmes serge of Nîmes

Explanation

Denim is a kind of heavy cotton material that's used to make jeans. Denim is usually dark blue, and mostly used to make durable work wear, like jeans and overalls. In some places, people call blue jeans denims. The word comes from a French phrase serge de Nîmes, "serge from Nîmes, France." "Serge" is a sturdy twill fabric, and Nîmes is a town where it was famously made. Denim was first used in American English around 1850.

Example Sentences

Of Diamond’s ode to a life lived in denim, Vedder joked, “It’s the original grunge song.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

WSJ | Buy Side: Made from soft cotton with a realistic denim print, these loungewear pants don’t need to be relegated to the couch.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

The denim giant provided the upbeat outlook, as well as its fiscal first-quarter results, as Wall Street tries to assess the war’s impact on consumer demand.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

The same could be said for shares of denim giant Levi Strauss.

From Barron's • Apr. 5, 2026

I’m dressed in denim shorts and a red T-shirt, and the smooth metal surfaces are a cool shock against my exposed skin.

From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day