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

When New York Men’s Day and New York Fashion Week wrapped in early September, attendees came away with plenty of Spring ’25 menswear options that featured fresh denim and environmentally conscious fibers like cotton. —Catherine Salfino, Sourcing Journal, 3 Oct. 2024

This time, Hadid embellished her denim and leather set with the help of her jewelry. —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 12 Sep. 2024

This drop-shoulder dress is available in black and medium-wash denim and combines a knee-length hem, split neckline, and pockets for a relaxed fit. —Ali Faccenda, Peoplemag, 21 Sep. 2024

The collection includes the 501 ’93 jean made from Levi’s Shrink-to-Fit denim. —Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 6 Sep. 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.