panties

Meanings

1. 1nounplural

   A piece of underwear worn by women and girls, covering the lower part of the body.

   Grammar: Always used in the plural form; to talk about one item, say 'a pair of panties'.

   Patterns

   • a pair of panties
   • wear panties
   • cotton panties

   She packed three pairs of panties for the trip.

   These cotton panties are comfortable and easy to wash.

   The store sells bras and panties in many colors.

2. 2nounpluralrare

   A similar garment for men or boys, often called 'briefs' or 'underpants' in everyday English.

   Grammar: Rare in this meaning; most speakers use 'briefs' or 'underpants' for men's underwear.

   Patterns

   • men's panties
   • a pair of panties

   The catalog listed men's panties in the underwear section.

   He bought a pair of panties, though the word is more common for women's underwear.

Word forms

Common combinations

a pair of panties

I need to buy a new pair of panties.

cotton panties

She prefers cotton panties for everyday wear.

wear panties

Girls usually start wearing panties when they are young.

lace panties

He gave her a set of lace panties for their anniversary.

Synonyms and how they differ

knickers

The usual British word for the same garment; 'panties' sounds American.

underpants

A more general word for underwear, often used for men's or children's underwear.

briefs

A style of underwear with no legs, often used for men's underwear.

Word family

panty noun

The singular form, used mainly in compounds like 'pantyhose' or 'panty line'.

pantyhose noun

Thin, tight-fitting women's stockings that cover the legs and feet, often called 'tights' in British English.

Commonly confused: panties or pants? panties or panty?

Practice

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