ENGLISH
REFERENCE

underwear

n. uncountable
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //ˈəndɝˌwɛɹ// UK //ˌʌndəwˈeə// un·der·wear General-service Informal

n. clothing that you wear under your other clothes, next to your skin.

n. clothing worn under outer garments, typically in direct contact with the skin.


SIMPLE

I need to pack enough clean underwear for the trip.

CONTEXTUAL

The athlete chose moisture-wicking underwear to stay comfortable during the long marathon.

COMPLEX

While outer fashion trends change rapidly, the design of basic underwear remains focused primarily on utility, comfort, and the quality of the fabric against the skin.

Synonyms
Origin

From under- + -wear. Compare Dutch ondergoed, German Unterwäsche, Swedish underkläder.

Usage

Uncountable noun; it does not have a plural form and is used with a singular verb.

Pitfall

I bought three underwears.I bought three pairs of underwear.Underwear is uncountable; use 'pairs of' or 'items of' to count individual pieces.

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