Meaning & use
salwar kameez
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A traditional South Asian outfit consisting of loose trousers and a long tunic, worn especially by women.
Grammar: Countable; the plural is the same as the singular: one salwar kameez, two salwar kameez.
Patterns
- wear a salwar kameez
- in a salwar kameez
- a salwar kameez with [pattern/color]
She wore a bright blue salwar kameez to the wedding.
In many parts of South Asia, women wear a salwar kameez for everyday activities.
He bought his sister a beautifully embroidered salwar kameez from a shop in Delhi.
Word forms
| plural | salwar kameez |
|---|
Common combinations
- wear a salwar kameez
- She likes to wear a salwar kameez in the summer because it is cool and comfortable.
- a traditional salwar kameez
- The museum displayed a traditional salwar kameez from the 19th century.
- a cotton salwar kameez
- For daily wear, many women choose a simple cotton salwar kameez.
- an embroidered salwar kameez
- The bride wore a heavily embroidered salwar kameez.
Synonyms and how they differ
- shalwar kameez
- An alternative spelling of the same outfit, common in Pakistan and among some English speakers.
- salwar suit
- A similar outfit, but 'salwar suit' often includes a matching scarf (dupatta) and is used more in Indian English.
Commonly confused: salwar kameez or sari? salwar kameez or kameez?
salwar kameez vs sari
A sari is a long piece of cloth draped around the body, not a tunic and trousers like a salwar kameez.
salwar kameez vs kameez
The kameez is just the long tunic part of the outfit; the salwar kameez includes both the tunic and the trousers.
Practice
For the festival, she decided to wear a ______ with gold embroidery.
Choose one answer.
A salwar kameez is a South Asian outfit of trousers and a tunic, often embroidered. A sari is a draped cloth, a kimono is Japanese, and a dirndl is Alpine, so none fit the description.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “salwar kameez”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.