Word for Wednesday: Trousers

blog home

Our March Word for Wednesday theme is clothes. 

The word clothes comes from the Old English ‘claðas’ meaning ‘garments’. ‘Claðas’ is also the plural of ‘clað’ meaning ‘cloth’.

Last week, we looked at the word shirt. Today’s word is trousers. 

Trousers are a garment which extend from the waist to the knees or ankles, and which cover each leg separately. The word is usually used a plural due to the separate leg parts, though one might refer to a ‘trouser leg’ in the singular form. 

The word trousers dates to the 1610s, and before that this item of clothing was known as 'trouzes' (1580s), from 'trouse' (1570s). The word comes from the Gaelic or Middle Irish word ‘tribuhas’ meaning ‘close-fitting shorts’. 

The American English word for this garment is pants. The word pants dates to 1840 and comes from ‘pantaloons’—a garment worn by men that was similar to tights. By 1798, the word was used in reference to trousers that were tied below the knee.


10 Mar 2021
blog home

Try Spellzone for free

Recent Blogs

How to Recognise and Overcome Tricky Spelling Patterns With Clarity and Confidence
How to Teach Spelling with Minimal Stress: Simple Techniques for Busy Teachers
Spelling for Mindfulness: How Slowing Down Can Help You Focus and Learn
Spelling Slip-Ups: Everyday Words People Often Get Wrong (and Clever Ways to Get Them Right)
Jamie Oliver’s Dyslexia Revolution: Why Schools Must Do More Than Just Listen
Embedding Spelling Practice Across All Subjects in Primary Schools: Supporting Literacy Beyond English Lessons
How to Teach Spelling to Reluctant Learners: Engaging and Low-Stress Methods
Why English Spelling Is So Hard And What You Can Do About It
Spelling Tricks for Words That Don’t Sound How They’re Spelled
From Spelling to Pronunciation: Why English Words Don’t Always Sound How They Look
How Spelling Tests Can Be a Positive Learning Opportunity: Encouraging a Healthy Relationship with Assessments
Why Some Words Have Double Letters: Spelling Rules and Tips
Why Spelling Rules Matter: How Patterns Simplify Learning
Spellzone Earns High Praise in Independent Pedagogical Quality Report
Spelling Through Visualisation: Using Imagery to Remember Words
How Reading Improves Spelling: The Power of Context
Tricky English Spelling Patterns: How to Teach Common Letter Combinations
How to Create Effective Spelling Word Lists for Students: A Guide for Educators
Understanding Root Words: Unlocking the Meaning of Complex Words
Navigating the World of Hyphenated Words in English

"Thank goodness for Spellzone during this remote learning phase. The site is easy for students to navigate independently and they're really enjoying the activities and spelling games. You get an awful lot for your money with Spellzone. Really reassuring is the very prompt response with helpdesk queries. I've very rarely needed the helpdesk, but when I have, the issue has been addressed and sorted within a very short time."

Sarah Taggart, Oasis Academy Lord's Hill