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

Miami Art Week and Art Basel attendees chose to wear more subtle denim, mixing designer with premium jean brands. —Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 20 Dec. 2024

Pearse works closely with his clients, whipping vintage denim into a suit or adding a rainbow-bright lining to a classic jacket or coat. —Samantha Conti, WWD, 20 Dec. 2024

This lightweight knit cardigan with its gold buttons can be worn as a top (my favorite way!), over a bodysuit or tank with a pair of leather pants, or with light-wash denim and sneakers. —Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 7 Dec. 2024

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

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.