Attested since the 1610s, from the earlier formtrouzes (attested since the 1580s), extended fromtrouse (1570s), with plural ending typical of things in pairs, fromMiddle Irishtriubus(“close-fitting shorts”), fromOld Irishtribus, of uncertain origin. The unexplained intrusive second-r- is perhaps due to the influence ofdrawers.[1]Doublet oftrews(“trousers”).
Old Irishtribus is probably a borrowing ofAnglo-Normantribuz,trebuz, fromOld Frenchtrebus, fromOld Occitantrebucs,trabucs, fromLate Latintrabrugi,tribuces,tubruci(“leg-coverings”), from an earlyGermanic language, likelyGothic*𐌸𐌹𐌿𐌷𐌱𐍂𐍉𐌺𐍃(*þiuhbrōks), fromProto-Germanic*þeuhabrōks(“loincloth, trousers”), fromProto-Germanic*þeuhą(“thigh”) +*brōks(“leggings, trousers”), thus making it bysurface analysis,thigh +breeches. Cognate withOld High Germandiohbruoh(“loincloth, trousers”), whence obsoleteGermanDiechbruch(“short legwear, knee breeches, loincloth”).
trousers pl (plural only,attributivetrouser)
- Anarticle ofclothing that covers the part of the body between thewaist and theankles orknees, and isdivided into a separate part for eachleg.
- Synonyms:breeches,britches,(all Britain, dialectal)kecks,(chiefly US)pants,(Australia)strides;see alsoThesaurus:trousers
Thetrousers need to be shortened.
1906,Stanley J[ohn] Weyman, “The Dissolution”, inChippinge Borough, New York, N.Y.: McClure, Phillips & Co.,→OCLC,page 3:It was April 22, 1831, and a young man was walking down Whitehall in the direction of Parliament Street. He wore shepherd's plaidtrousers and the swallow-tail coat of the day, with a figured muslin cravat wound about his wide-spread collar.
1960,P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, chapter XIX, inJeeves in the Offing, London:Herbert Jenkins,→OCLC:The effect the apparition had on me was to make me start violently, and we all know what happens when you start violently while holding a full cup of tea. The contents of mine flew through the air and came to rest on thetrousers of Aubrey Upjohn, MA, moistening them to no little extent. Indeed, it would scarcely be distorting the facts to say that he was now not so much wearingtrousers as wearing tea. [...] "I see you have not changed since you were with me at Malvern House," he said in an extremely nasty voice, dabbing at thetrousers with a handkerchief. [...] "Frightfully sorry," I said. "Too late to be sorry now. A new pair oftrousers ruined. It is doubtful if anything can remove the stain of tea from white flannel."
- Trouser is found as a singular form in fashion, to refer to a single pair of trousers or a particular line of trousers, but is otherwise generally considered incorrect.
- Usage ofpants,trousers, andslacks:
- Pants is about four times more common in the US thantrousers, based on use inCOCA.
- Trousers is about nine times more common in the UK thanpants, based on use inBNC. In the UK,pants chiefly refers tounderwear.
- Slacks about one tenth as common aspants in the US andtrousers in the UK.
article of clothing for the lower body
—seepants
