English Lexicon

Underwear

/ˈʌndərˌwɛr/
nounCEFR A2 (Elementary)Top #1500 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    Clothing worn next to the skin, typically under outer garments.

    "She bought new underwear for her trip."
  2. 2

    Any garment worn under outer clothing, including items like bras and briefs.

    "He prefers to wear comfortable underwear during workouts."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The term 'underwear' originates from the combination of 'under', meaning beneath or below, and 'wear', which refers to clothing. It has been used in English since the late 19th century to describe garments worn beneath outer clothing.

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