Why is the Word Pants Plural? (2024)

FAQs

Why is the Word Pants Plural? ›

According to some, the phrase “pair of pants” harkens back to the days when what constituted pants—or pantaloons, as they were originally known—consisted of two separate items, one for each leg. They were put on one at a time and then secured around the waist.

According to some, the phrase “pair of pants” harkens back to the days when what constituted pants—or pantaloons, as they were originally known—consisted of two separate items, one for each leg. They were put on one at a time and then secured around the waist.

Q: So you have two pant legs, and when you stitch them together, you get “a pair of pants”. A: Exactly, and last we checked, that was the better way to wear pants. So we advise that using “pants” is the way to go – and leave “pant” for the fashionistas. Q: And dogs.

Pants are part of a very small subset of plural English words in which they have no real singular counterpart. Almost all are similar examples of things that look like two objects that have been fused together to create one thing, but keeping their plurality, grammar-wise. For example: clothes, goggles, and panties.

Of course, pants is a well-known abbreviation, but I think pant is rather a new word.” From the late 19th century onward, the singular usage appeared steadily in retailing, as in this line from a 1962 L. L. Bean catalog: “A practical and well made pant for general sportswear.”

In Modern English, scissors has no singular form. A pair of pairs of scissors. Scissors is an example of a plurale tantum, or an English word that only has a plural form that represents a singular object. (Plurale tantum is not a plurale tantum: its plural is pluralia tantum).

Americans clipped the term to pants in the early 19th century, and that shorter word became a standard term for the garment, serving also as the basis for new formations denoting new garments, such as underpants and panties.

The plural of “moose” is the same as the singular: “moose.” It's one of a group of plural nouns in English that are identical to the corresponding singular nouns. So it's wrong to write “mooses.” For example, you might write “There are several moose in the forest.”

"Scissors" has no plural form. We put "pair of" or "pairs of" in front of the word "scissors" to give it its plural form. For example: One pair of scissors. Two pairs of scissors.

Fish and fishes are both acceptable plural forms of fish. Fish is the more commonly used plural, and can be used regardless of how many species are present. Fishes tends to be used as a plural when there are more than one species, especially in scientific settings.

Why are shorts called shorts? ›

They are called "shorts" because they are a shortened version of trousers, which cover the entire leg, but not the foot. Shorts are typically worn in warm weather or in an environment where comfort and airflow are more important than the protection of the legs.

pantaloons (n.)

English writers), associated with Pantaloun, Pantaloon (1580s), the silly old man character in Italian comedy, who wore spectacles, slippers, and tight trousers over his skinny legs. His name is from Italian Pantalone, which is of Greek origin and means "all-compassionate" (Littré).

The word "slacks" is believed to have originated in the 19th century, and it is derived from the Middle English word "slak", which means "loose" or "slack." This reflects the fact that slacks were initially seen as a more comfortable and relaxed alternative to the tight-fitting trousers that were commonly worn by then.

It's culturally arbitrary. As other answers have noted, bra is abbreviated from the French word brassière, which is singular. And that should not be surprising. It is somewhat surprising that panties (and pants) seem to be plural words.

The word pants is an example of a plurale tantum, which is a noun that does not have a formal singular form.

Think of it this way. How many “main body parts” go into the item? One body part goes into a shirt—the trunk. Two body parts go into a ”pair of shorts”—your legs.

Yes, it (“pants”) is always plural when you are talking about the item of clothing. “Kind” would usually be singular but if you know you are talking about more than one type of something then you might decide to pluralize it. Keep in mind that, colloquially, you'll hear people use both…