Meaning & use
pinnys
Last updated
“pinnys” is a form of “pinny”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
nounpluralinformalBritish
Aprons, especially the kind worn over clothes to keep them clean while cooking or cleaning.
Grammar: Plural of pinny: the children wore their pinnies.
Patterns
- wear pinnies
The kids put on their pinnies before starting to paint.
Two pinnies hung on hooks beside the oven.
The helpers all wore matching pinnies at the school fair.
Common combinations
- wear pinnies
- The bakers wear pinnies to protect their clothes.
- flowery pinnies
- The grandmothers sat in flowery pinnies.
- school pinnies
- The art room keeps spare school pinnies.
- tie on a pinny
- She tied on a pinny and started the washing-up.
Synonyms and how they differ
- aprons
- It is the standard neutral word, while pinnies sounds homely and British.
- pinafores
- It is more old-fashioned and often means a sleeveless dress-like garment.
- overalls
- It means a full protective garment, not just a covering at the front.
Word family
Commonly confused: pinnys or pinnies?
pinnys vs pinnies
Pinnies is the accepted spelling of the plural of pinny; pinnys is a spelling variant.
Practice
Before the messy craft session, the teacher handed out ___ to protect the children's clothes.
Choose one answer.
Pinnies are aprons that protect clothes. Helmets, scarves and gloves do not cover clothes against mess.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pinnys”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.