Denim | Definition of denim by Merriam-Webster

Full Definition of DENIM

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

plural : overalls or trousers usually of blue denim

— den·imed \-nəmd\ adjective

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Origin of DENIM

French (serge) de Nîmes serge of Nîmes, France

First Known Use: 1695

Rhymes with DENIM

plenum, venom

Definition of DENIM for Kids

1

: a firm often coarse cotton cloth

2

denims plural : overalls or pants of usually blue denim

Word History of DENIM

The word denim came from a French phrase that meant “serge of Nimes.” Serge is a kind of sturdy cloth. Nimes is a city in the southern part of France where making cloth was traditionally a major industry. When the English borrowed the French phrase that meant “serge of Nimes” they made it serge denim. Later this phrase was shortened to denim.

Learn More About DENIM

Spanish Central: Spanish translation of "denim"

Nglish: Translation of "denim" for Spanish speakers

Britannica English: Translation of "denim" for Arabic speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about "denim"

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