Definition
n. a piece of clothing made of thin, stretchy fabric that covers your legs and feet. You usually wear them under a skirt or dress.
n. a close-fitting garment made of knitted yarn, covering the body from the waist to the toes. Takes a plural verb and is often measured by denier for thickness.
Examples
“She bought a new pair of black tights for the party.”
“Because the weather was getting colder, she decided to wear thick woollen tights under her uniform.”
“The dancer carefully checked her tights for any small holes or ladders before stepping onto the stage for the final performance.”
Examples
simple
“She bought a new pair of black tights for the party.”
contextual
“Because the weather was getting colder, she decided to wear thick woollen tights under her uniform.”
complex
“The dancer carefully checked her tights for any small holes or ladders before stepping onto the stage for the final performance.”
Usage
Pluralia tantum — takes a plural verb. Often used with the classifier 'a pair of'.
Pitfall
I need a new tight
I need new tights
The word is always plural; you cannot use the singular form to refer to one garment.
Etymology
From tight + -s.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/tights
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
‘외래어’ data: 한국어기초사전 (국립국어원), CC BY-SA 2.0 KR