Is pant plural or singular?
So, pants is a type of noun that is used only in its plural form, even when there is only one item being discussed.
Pants are a singular object. Then why do we say “pants” instead of “pant”? It's a common vagary of the English language that pants—or trousers, slacks, khakis, shorts—is always presented as a plural. It's never pant, but rather a pair of pants.
So we advise that using “pants” is the way to go – and leave “pant” for the fashionistas.
Plural. pants. a pair of pants. Pants are a type of cloths worn on the legs.
The word 'pants' comes to us from an Anglicization of the character's name, "Pantaloon." The word comes from the name of a stock figure in the commedia dell'arte, a form of Italian comic theater popular throughout Europe from about the 16th to the mid-18th century.
Since the word "pants" only has a plural form, you cannot use the article "a" or numbers with it. However, you can say "a pair of pants", "two pairs of pants", etc.
There's another, much simpler reason that these words, and other related ones such as shorts, jeans, tights, knickers, and drawers are all plural: originally each leg was a separate garment, put on individually, and tied together with a belt or rope.
“Pair,” from the Latin, means two like things. And pants (pantaloons) were originally two like things. You put them on one leg at a time because they actually came in two pieces. You put on one leg, tied it around your waist, then put on the other.
Pants is always plural. Therefore it's "my pants are ripped" or "I don't like them". It's the same with other plural nouns, like binoculars, glasses, etc. One says "are your glasses alright", not "is your glasses alright", so it makes sense to assume that they are plural, not singular nouns.
As detailed above, 'pants' can be a verb, a noun or an adjective. Adjective usage: Your mobile is pants — why don't you get one like mine?
What is a single pant?
When the word pant was documented as being used to refer to the entire garment in 1893, the term pants was still new enough to be recognized as an abbreviation of the older word pantaloons. Even when the regular word was still pantaloons, singular pant was used to refer to a pantleg.
Definition of pant
(Entry 1 of 5) intransitive verb. 1a : to breathe quickly, spasmodically, or in a labored manner. b : to run panting. c : to move with or make a throbbing or puffing sound.
Pants sentence example. Then I slipped trying to rub mud on my pants to cover it up. He jammed his hands into his pants pockets. She stood and brushed the seat of her pants off.
Don't say `a pants' or `a shorts'. You can say a pair of pants or a pair of shorts. It doesn't take long to choose a pair of pants.
That loud, gasping breath itself is also a pant — but when this noun is plural, it means trousers, slacks, or jeans. Be careful, though — in parts of the UK, pants are primarily women's undergarments. Any pants you wear on you body come from pantaloons, which in the 1600s meant tights.
It's only one pair, so "pair" is singular. Pairs of jeans. I bought three pairs of jeans. “The jeans are on the chair.
It actually means one. Although a pair means two but here the pair is used for a pair of legs (2 legs) .
A few words, though singular in nature, are made of paired items and generally treated as plural: scissors, pants, trousers, glasses, pliers, tongs, tweezers, and the like. Many are often used with the word pair as in pair of pants or pair of scissors.
pant Definitions and Synonyms
Louisa banged the door shut and leaned against it, panting. 'I can't go any further,' he panted.
Even items of clothing, such as a pair of pants or a pair of shoes, use collective nouns that require singular verb agreement.
Is shoes singular or plural?
Plural means more than one. For example, 'shoes' is the plural of 'shoe', which is singular.
The pieces were put on each leg separately and then wrapped and tied or belted at the waist (just like cowboys' chaps). The plural usage persisted out of habit even after the garments had become physically one piece. However, a shirt was a single piece of cloth, so it was always singular.
The word “pant” is shortened from “pantaloon”, which was originally a single item separately placed on each leg. It took two pantaloons to cover both legs, so became a pair of pantaloons, or a pair of pants. Eventually, pants evolved to become a single piece garment, but the phrase still applies.
noun, plural shoes, (especially British Dialect) shoon [shoon]. an external covering for the human foot, usually of leather and consisting of a more or less stiff or heavy sole and a lighter upper part ending a short distance above, at, or below the ankle.
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.
pair of pants (plural pairs of pants) A single garment that covers one's legs individually with sleeves, and also covers the pelvis.
These words—“everybody” and “nobody”—are indefinite pronouns, meaning they don't refer to a particular person. Both these indefinite pronouns are singular.
Plural-Only Nouns
For nouns that always come in plural but they are actually one thing, for instance, pants, glasses, trousers, etc. do not use it. You should use 'they. '
| singular | paint |
|---|---|
| plural | paints |
The oldest known trousers, dating to the period between the thirteenth and the tenth centuries BC, were found at the Yanghai cemetery in Turpan, Sinkiang (Tocharia), in present-day western China. Made of wool, the trousers had straight legs and wide crotches and were likely made for horseback riding.
Why is pants always plural?
There's another, much simpler reason that these words, and other related ones such as shorts, jeans, tights, knickers, and drawers are all plural: originally each leg was a separate garment, put on individually, and tied together with a belt or rope.
“Pair,” from the Latin, means two like things. And pants (pantaloons) were originally two like things. You put them on one leg at a time because they actually came in two pieces. You put on one leg, tied it around your waist, then put on the other.
The plural usage persisted out of habit even after the garments had become physically one piece. However, a shirt was a single piece of cloth, so it was always singular. Watch movies based in old England and you'll see examples of clothes where the sleeves and pants were separate and tied or fastened on.
A word like “pants” is, “more often, a pant. Similarly, shoes are always a shoe; jeans are usually a jean.”
When the word pant was documented as being used to refer to the entire garment in 1893, the term pants was still new enough to be recognized as an abbreviation of the older word pantaloons. Even when the regular word was still pantaloons, singular pant was used to refer to a pantleg.
That loud, gasping breath itself is also a pant — but when this noun is plural, it means trousers, slacks, or jeans. Be careful, though — in parts of the UK, pants are primarily women's undergarments. Any pants you wear on you body come from pantaloons, which in the 1600s meant tights.
Pants sentence example. Then I slipped trying to rub mud on my pants to cover it up. He jammed his hands into his pants pockets. She stood and brushed the seat of her pants off.
In U.S. English, two pairs of pants is correct because a pair of pants is a garment for one person and the plural of pair is pairs.
It actually means one. Although a pair means two but here the pair is used for a pair of legs (2 legs) .
Is it singular or plural? A pair is two of something, but a pair can be singular or plural—it's one of those odd English nouns (like " opens in a new windowcouple") that can be singular or plural depending on how you're thinking of the people or items in question.
Is shoes singular or plural?
Plural means more than one. For example, 'shoes' is the plural of 'shoe', which is singular.
It's only one pair, so "pair" is singular. Pairs of jeans. I bought three pairs of jeans. “The jeans are on the chair.
Very young or inexperienced.
As detailed above, 'pants' can be a verb, a noun or an adjective. Adjective usage: Your mobile is pants — why don't you get one like mine?
Plural-Only Nouns
For nouns that always come in plural but they are actually one thing, for instance, pants, glasses, trousers, etc. do not use it. You should use 'they. '
trousers plural noun. In British English, trousers are a piece of clothing that you wear over your body from the waist downwards, and that cover each leg separately. You can also say a pair of trousers. The usual American word is pants.
