pantyhose

pantyhose — noun

1. a single stretchy garment, usually sheer, that pulls on like underwear and reach

1.nounB1
Definition

a single stretchy garment, usually sheer, that pulls on like underwear and reaches down to cover the hips, legs, and toes; women often wear it under a skirt or dress.

Example

Maya bought two pairs of black pantyhose for her new office job.

countable as 'pairs of pantyhose'

Lina snagged her pantyhose on the corner of the desk.

typical verb collocation: snag / tear pantyhose

Common collocations
  • a pair of pantyhose
  • sheer pantyhose
  • nude / flesh-coloured pantyhose
  • snag pantyhose
  • run in one's pantyhose
Synonyms
  • tights

    the standard British term; can also mean thicker, opaque versions

  • nylons

    informal, often refers to the sheer kind only

  • hose

    older, slightly formal word for leg coverings in general

Grammar Patterns

a pair of pantyhose

Usage Note

Treated as plural like 'trousers' or 'jeans': say 'these pantyhose are torn', and count them with 'a pair of'. American English; British English usually says 'tights'.

Common Mistakes

I bought a pantyhose.
I bought a pair of pantyhose.
like 'trousers', it takes 'a pair of', not 'a'.
My pantyhose is torn.
My pantyhose are torn.
treat it as plural for verb agreement.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These four words all name sheer or stretchy leg coverings, but they differ by region, coverage, and tone. 'Pantyhose' is the standard American word for a one-piece garment that runs from the waist down to the toes. 'Tights' is the everyday British equivalent, and in American English often suggests a thicker, opaque version, including ones worn for dance or warmth. 'Stockings' are separate, thigh-high pieces that cover each leg on its own and stay up with a garter belt or elastic top — they are not joined at the waist. 'Nylons' is an informal, slightly old-fashioned American term, usually for the very sheer kind. So an American shopper might say, 'I need new pantyhose,' a British shopper, 'I need new tights,' and either might pack 'stockings' for a wedding outfit.

pantyhose ↗tightsstockingsnylons

Common collocations

Nouns

  • a pair of pantyhose
  • a run in one's pantyhose
  • control-top pantyhose

Phrases

  • pull on pantyhose
  • snag one's pantyhose
  • wear pantyhose under a skirt

Prepositions

  • in pantyhose
  • under (a skirt / dress)

Etymology

Old EnglishOld FrenchModern English

An American compound first recorded in the mid-1960s, joining 'panty' (from 'pants', from Old French 'pantalon') with 'hose', an old word for leg coverings going back to Old English 'hosa'. The name reflects the new design of the time: stockings and underpants knitted into a single piece, replacing the older combination of separate stockings held up by a garter belt.