denim

noun

den·​im ˈde-nəm How to pronounce denim (audio)
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 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 Elsewhere another student opted for a white tee with wide-legged denim which made for a classic outfit. Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 21 Oct. 2024 And unlike other options, it’s made with rigid denim—no elastane to be found—that’ll mold to your body over time. Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 14 Oct. 2024 Visitors can put on their denim, don a cowboy hat, and embrace a light-hearted side of Music City, if only for a weekend. Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 7 Oct. 2024 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 See all Example Sentences for denim 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'denim.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French (serge) de Nîmes serge of Nîmes, France

First Known Use

1695, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of denim was in 1695

Dictionary Entries Near denim

Cite this Entry

“Denim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/denim. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

denim

noun
den·​im ˈden-əm How to pronounce denim (audio)
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.

More from Merriam-Webster on denim

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!