Meaning & use
shalwar kameez
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Meanings
nouncountableIndianregional
A traditional South Asian outfit of loose trousers (shalwar) and a long tunic (kameez), worn by men and women.
Grammar: The plural is also shalwar kameez; use a plural verb when thinking of the two pieces separately.
Patterns
- wear a shalwar kameez
- a shalwar kameez and a scarf
- in a shalwar kameez
She wore a bright blue shalwar kameez to the wedding.
Many men in the region wear a simple white shalwar kameez.
He bought a new shalwar kameez for the festival.
noununcountableIndianregional
The style or fashion of such outfits, considered as a category of clothing.
Grammar: Used without an or the plural when speaking of the style in general: shalwar kameez is popular.
Patterns
- shalwar kameez is popular
- designs in shalwar kameez
Shalwar kameez is common across Pakistan and northern India.
The shop sells both shalwar kameez and modern Western clothes.
Word forms
| plural | shalwar kameez |
|---|
Common combinations
- wear a shalwar kameez
- Guests were asked to wear a shalwar kameez or other modest clothing.
- a cotton shalwar kameez
- In summer, a light cotton shalwar kameez is the most comfortable choice.
- a traditional shalwar kameez
- The dancers performed in traditional shalwar kameez.
- a shalwar kameez with a dupatta
- She matched her shalwar kameez with a dupatta over her shoulders.
- an embroidered shalwar kameez
- Her embroidered shalwar kameez took weeks to make.
Synonyms and how they differ
- salwar kameez
- A very common alternative spelling and pronunciation, especially in India; the meaning is the same.
- shalwar
- Strictly just the loose trousers; shalwar kameez names the complete two-piece outfit.
Word family
- kameez noun
- The long tunic part of the outfit.
- shalwar noun
- The loose trousers part of the outfit.
- dupatta noun
- A long scarf often worn with a shalwar kameez.
Commonly confused: shalwar kameez or sari? shalwar kameez or kurta?
shalwar kameez vs sari
A sari is a single long cloth draped around the body, while a shalwar kameez is a two-piece outfit of trousers and a tunic.
shalwar kameez vs kurta
A kurta is a loose tunic that can be worn with jeans or trousers; a kameez is the tunic of a shalwar kameez set.
Practice
Which sentence uses "shalwar kameez" correctly?
Choose one answer.
A shalwar kameez is an outfit, so wearing one to a celebration is correct. Option A confuses it with a scarf, option C uses it as a verb, and option D wrongly calls it food.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “shalwar kameez”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.