Word
pajamas
Phoneticspa·ja·mas
US/pəˈdʒæməz/
UK/pɐdʒˈɑːməz/
UK spelling · pyjamas
Definitions
01sleepwear
n. clothes that you wear to bed, usually a soft shirt and matching trousers.
n. garments designed for sleeping, typically consisting of a loose-fitting jacket or shirt and trousers. Plural-only; takes a plural verb.
“He put on his warm pajamas and got into bed.”
“After a long day of travel, she looked forward to nothing more than changing into her silk pajamas and relaxing.”
American English
Pitfall
I need to buy a new pajama.
I need to buy new pajamas.
This word is always plural. Use 'a pair of pajamas' if you want to count them.
Synonyms
02traditional trousers
n. loose trousers worn by people in some South Asian countries like India.
n. loose-fitting trousers, often tied at the waist, worn by both sexes in various South Asian countries.
“The traditional outfit included a long tunic over loose pajamas.”
“The exhibit featured historical garments from the Punjab region, including intricately embroidered cotton pajamas.”
Technical
03sports uniform
n. a nickname for the brightly coloured uniforms worn in some cricket matches.
n. a slang term for the brightly coloured kits worn by players in limited-overs cricket matches, contrasting with traditional white clothing.
“The team debuted their new neon pajamas for the night match.”
“Purists often complain about the 'pajamas' worn in one-day internationals, preferring the classic aesthetic of Test match whites.”
Slang · Humorous · British English
Etymology
From Urdu پاجامہ (pājāma) (Hindi पाजामा (pājāmā)), from Classical Persian پَاجَامَه (pājāma, “trousers, drawers”), from پَا (pā, “leg”) + جَامَه (jāma, “garment”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
Idioms
the cat's pajamas — Alternative spelling of the cat's pyjamas.
the cat's pyjamas — A highly sought-after and fancy example of something, usually referring to inanimate objects.