denim

denim — noun

1. a strong cotton cloth, usually blue in colour, with a diagonal weave pattern, us

1.nounB1
Definition

a strong cotton cloth, usually blue in colour, with a diagonal weave pattern, used mainly for making jeans and other casual clothes such as jackets and shirts.

Example

Jessica bought two metres of dark denim to make a jacket for her daughter.

uncountable: two metres of denim

This brand uses organic denim that feels much softer than the traditional kind.

collocation: organic denim

Common collocations
  • dark denim
  • faded denim
  • lightweight denim
  • raw denim
  • organic denim
  • stretch denim
  • selvedge denim
Synonyms
  • jean (material)

    Interchangeable when referring to the fabric, but 'jean' as a material is less common and sounds dated in many contexts.

  • cotton twill

    A broader technical category; all denim is a type of cotton twill, but not all cotton twill is denim.

Grammar Patterns

denim + noun (as modifier)

made of denim

Usage Note

Denim is an uncountable noun when referring to the fabric. It cannot take an indefinite article ('a denim') or a plural form ('denims' for fabric).

Common Mistakes

These denims are very thick for a jeans fabric.
This denim is very thick for a jeans fabric.
Denim is uncountable; do not add -s for the fabric material.
She bought a denim for her sewing project.
She bought some denim for her sewing project.
Use 'some denim' or 'a piece of denim', not 'a denim'.

2. clothing, especially jeans and jackets, made from denim fabric.

2.nounB1
Definition

clothing, especially jeans and jackets, made from denim fabric.

Example

Jiwoo wore her favourite denim to the concert — a jacket with matching jeans.

uncountable collective: her favourite denim

The shop on Main Street sells vintage denim from the 1980s.

collocation: vintage denim

Common collocations
  • vintage denim
  • designer denim
  • head-to-toe denim
  • double denim
Synonyms
  • jeans

    The most common type of denim clothing; often used as a near-synonym in casual speech, though strictly narrower.

  • dungarees

    A specific type of denim overalls; not interchangeable with general denim clothing.

Grammar Patterns

in + denim

denim + plural verb (collective)

Usage Note

When denim refers to clothing, it is treated as an uncountable collective noun ('she wears denim'). To refer to individual items, name the garment ('denim jeans', 'a denim jacket') rather than treating 'denim' as countable.

Common Mistakes

I bought three denims from the store.
I bought three pairs of jeans from the store.
Denim clothing is uncountable as a category; specify the items.
She was dressed in a denim.
She was dressed in denim.
Do not use 'a denim' to mean a denim garment.
Idioms

double denim / denim-on-denim

idiom

an outfit that combines two or more denim garments at once, such as a denim jacket worn with denim jeans.

Defne worried that wearing a denim shirt with her jeans would look like too much double denim.

Fashion magazines say denim-on-denim can look stylish if the shades of blue are different.

Canadian tuxedo

idiom

a humorous term for a full outfit made entirely of denim, typically a denim jacket paired with denim jeans.

Samir showed up at the barbecue in a full Canadian tuxedo, making everyone smile.

The term Canadian tuxedo became popular after a famous singer wore a head-to-toe denim look in the 1990s.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Denim, jean (as a material), and cotton twill overlap but are not identical. Cotton twill is the broadest term — any fabric woven in a diagonal (twill) pattern, including chino and gabardine. Denim is a specific type of cotton twill: traditionally warp-faced with indigo-dyed blue threads and white filling threads. 'Jean' as a material name is an older term that originally referred to a fustian fabric from Genoa, Italy; today it is largely synonymous with denim but sounds slightly dated or technical ('jean fabric'). In everyday use, 'denim' is the standard word: shoppers ask for 'denim jackets', not 'jean jackets'. A tailor describing the weave structure would use 'cotton twill', while a clothing tag might say '100% cotton denim'.

denim ↗jean (material)cotton twill

Common collocations

Nouns

  • denim jacket
  • denim jeans
  • denim shirt
  • denim skirt
  • denim fabric

Phrases

  • a piece of denim
  • a pair of denim jeans

Prepositions

  • in denim
  • made of denim
  • made from denim

Etymology

FrenchEnglish

The word 'denim' comes from 'serge de Nîmes', a French phrase meaning 'serge fabric from the city of Nîmes'. This sturdy cotton cloth was woven in Nîmes, France, as early as the 17th century. Over time, 'serge de Nîmes' was shortened in English to 'denim'. A related fabric, 'jean', came from 'fustian of Genoa' (Gênes in French). The two materials eventually merged into what we now call denim.