# trousers

/ˈtɹaʊzɝz/ (US) · /tɹˈaʊsəz/ (UK) · CEFR A1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/trousers
Updated: 2026-04-26

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- He wears black trousers to work.
- I need to buy a new pair of trousers for the wedding this weekend.
- The tailor expertly adjusted the length of the wool trousers to ensure they had the perfect break just above the shoe.

## Pitfalls

- Not "This trousers is new." but "These trousers are new." — 'Trousers' is a plural noun and always takes a plural verb.

## Usage notes

- 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'.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.