Meaning & use
pijamas or pajamas
Last updated
Meaning
nounplural
Loose comfortable clothes worn for sleeping or relaxing at home, usually a top and trousers.
Grammar: Always plural in form: a pair of pajamas. Use a plural verb: my pajamas are clean.
Patterns
- a pair of pajamas
- wear pajamas
- put on pajamas
- in pajamas
He was still in his pajamas when the guests arrived.
She bought a new pair of pajamas for the trip.
The children put on their pajamas and brushed their teeth.
Word forms
| American spelling | pajamas |
|---|---|
| British spelling | pyjamas |
| informal short form | pj's |
Common combinations
- a pair of pajamas
- I packed a pair of pajamas and a toothbrush.
- wear pajamas
- On weekends we wear pajamas until noon.
- put on pajamas
- The kids put on their pajamas before the story.
- flannel pajamas
- Flannel pajamas are warm in winter.
Synonyms and how they differ
- nightclothes
- A general word for anything worn in bed, not specifically a top-and-trousers set.
- nightwear
- More formal and used mostly in shops and catalogs.
Word family
- pajama adjective
- Used before another noun, as in pajama bottoms or a pajama party.
Commonly confused: pijamas or pajamas or pijamas? pijamas or pajamas or pyjamas?
pijamas or pajamas vs pijamas
Not standard English; it reflects Spanish or Portuguese spelling. Use 'pajamas' in American English or 'pyjamas' in British English.
pijamas or pajamas vs pyjamas
The correct British spelling; Americans write 'pajamas'.
Practice
Which sentence uses the correct standard American spelling?
Choose one answer.
'Pajamas' is the standard American spelling and is always plural. 'Pijamas' is not standard English, 'pyjamas' is British, and 'pajama' is singular and would need 'a pair of'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pijamas or pajamas”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.