ENGLISH
REFERENCE

trousers

n. countable
A1 Beginner Oxford US //ˈtɹaʊzɝz// UK //tɹˈaʊsəz// trousers General-service

n. a piece of clothing that covers the lower part of your body, with a separate part for each leg. In American English, people usually say 'pants' instead.

n. an outer garment covering the body from the waist to the ankles, with a separate part for each leg. The term is standard in British English; 'pants' is the common equivalent in American English.


SIMPLE

He wears black trousers to work.

CONTEXTUAL

I need to buy a new pair of trousers for the wedding this weekend.

COMPLEX

The tailor expertly adjusted the length of the wool trousers to ensure they had the perfect break just above the shoe.

Synonyms
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”). Old Irish tribus is probably a borrowing of Anglo-Norman tribuz, trebuz, from Old French trebus, from Old Occitan trebucs, trabucs, from Late Latin trabrugi, tribuces, tubruci (“leg-coverings”), from an early Germanic language, likely Gothic 𐌸𐌹𐌿𐌷𐌱𐍂𐍉𐌺𐍃 (þiuhbrōks), from Proto-Germanic þeuhabrōks (“loincloth, trousers”), from Proto-Germanic þeuhą (“thigh”) + *brōks (“leggings, trousers”), thus making it by surface analysis, thigh + breeches. Cognate with Old High German diohbruoh (“loincloth, trousers”), whence obsolete German Diechbruch (“short legwear, knee breeches, loincloth”).

Usage

The noun is a plurale tantum, meaning it is always plural and takes a plural verb (e.g., 'my trousers are...'). It is counted using 'a pair of'.

Pitfall

This trousers is new.These trousers are new.'Trousers' is a plural noun and always takes a plural verb.

Idioms4 entries

© 2026 English Reference