denim

noun

den·​im ˈde-nəm 

1

a

: a firm durable twilled usually cotton fabric woven with colored warp and white filling threads

b

: a similar fabric woven in colored stripes

2

denims plural : overalls or trousers usually of blue denim

denimed

ˈde-nəmd 

adjective

Did you know?

Many fabrics have been named for the places where they were once made. Denim gets its name from Nîmes, a city in France famous for its textiles. But the name came about in an unusual way. The fabric, a heavy serge, was originally called serge de Nîmes, literally, “serge from Nîmes.” The “s” on Nîmes is not pronounced in French, so when the name of the fabric came into English, it was often written serge de Nim and later serge denim. In time, this was shortened to simply denim.

Examples of denim in a Sentence

He's wearing faded denims and cowboy boots.

Recent Examples on the Web

Grab a seamless bodysuit bundle to pair with your new jeans, or add some leopard print for a model-off-duty look with black denim. —Jenifer Calle, Glamour, 2 Dec. 2024

The e-commerce giant is offering up to 50% off your favorite designer items—think classic denim from Agolde and fuzzy outerwear favorites from Nour Hammour and essentials from Toteme. —Cortne Bonilla, Vogue, 2 Dec. 2024

Glenn Martens hones in on a new fluid denim and materials treated to look like denim in their upcoming collection. —Essence, 22 Nov. 2024

Plus, they’re made from the brand’s signature stretchy yet supportive denim that holds up against long-term wear. —Clara McMahon, People.com, 30 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French (serge) de Nîmes serge of Nîmes, France

First Known Use

1695, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

denim

noun

den·​im ˈden-əm 

1

: a firm durable twilled usually cotton fabric

2

plural : overalls or trousers of denim

Etymology

from French (serge) de Nîmes "serge (fabric) from Nîmes (city in France)"

Word Origin

Many fabrics have been named for the places where they were once made. Denim gets its name from Nîmes, a city in France famous for its textiles. But the name came about in an unusual way. The fabric, a heavy serge, was originally called serge de Nîmes, literally, "serge from Nîmes." The "s" on Nîmes is not pronounced in French, so when the name of the fabric came into English, it was often written serge de Nim and later serge denim. In time this was shortened to simply denim.