Skip to the word

Added 9 October 2026

trousers

/ˈtɹaʊzəz/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about trousers at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

(usually in the plural) a garment extending from the waist to the knee or ankle, covering each leg separately.
he had a sharp crease in his trousers

Origin

Attested since the 1610s, from the earlier form trouzes (attested since the 1580s), extended from trouse (1570s), with plural ending typical of things in pairs, from Middle Irish triubus (“close-fitting shorts”), from Old Irish tribus, of uncertain origin. The unexplained intrusive second -r- is perhaps due to the influence of drawers. Doublet of trews (“trousers”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word