Definition

1. Noun:
   • A coarse durable twill-weave cotton fabric: A strong, sturdy type of cotton cloth woven with a diagonal rib pattern, typically used for making durable clothing.
   • (usually plural) Close-fitting trousers of heavy denim for manual work or casual wear: Pants made from a heavy, durable cotton fabric, originally designed for work but now widely worn as casual attire.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Fabric):
  • The jacket was made from a sturdy blue jean.
  • They sell several types of jean, including raw and pre-washed denim.
• Noun (Trousers - plural form):
  • He wore his old jean to work in the garden.
  • She bought a new pair of jean for the weekend.

Advanced Usage

• "Blue jean": A common term for the classic indigo-dyed denim fabric or trousers made from it.
  • Blue jean became a symbol of American culture.
• Used in the plural form "jeans" far more commonly than the singular "jean" when referring to trousers.
  • Correct: I need to buy new jeans.
  • Less Common: I need to buy a new jean.

Variants and Related Words

• Jeans (n): The standard, more common plural form for denim trousers.
  • She lives in jeans and a t-shirt.
• Denim (n): The sturdy cotton twill fabric from which jean/jeans are made; often used synonymously with "jean" fabric.
  • Denim is known for its durability.
• Jean jacket / jean shirt (n): A jacket or shirt constructed from jean fabric.
  • He threw on a jean jacket over his hoodie.

Synonyms

• Denim: (for the fabric sense) The sturdy cotton twill.
• Dungarees: (for the trousers sense, especially in British English) Close-fitting trousers made of denim.

Related Phrases

• Pair of jeans: The standard phrase for one item of denim trousers.
  • He ripped his favorite pair of jeans.
• Designer jeans: High-fashion, expensive denim trousers.
  • The store specializes in designer jeans.

Notes on Usage

• In modern English, the word "jean" as a singular noun referring to the fabric is less common in everyday speech than "denim".
• The term for the garment is almost exclusively used in the plural form "jeans", which is treated as a plural noun (e.g., comfortable). The singular form "a jean" to mean one pair of trousers is considered non-standard or archaic.

Noun

1. a coarse durable twill-weave cotton fabric
2. (usually plural) close-fitting trousers of heavy denim for manual work or casual wear