underwear

underwear — noun

1. clothing that people wear directly against their skin, underneath the shirts, tr

1.nounB1
Definition

clothing that people wear directly against their skin, underneath the shirts, trousers, or dresses that others can see

Example

Diya folded her clean underwear and put it in the drawer.

The shop sells cotton underwear for men, women, and children.

collocation: cotton + underwear for material

Common collocations
  • clean underwear
  • change your underwear
  • cotton underwear
  • thermal underwear
  • a pair of underwear
  • a piece of underwear
Synonyms
  • undergarments

    more formal or technical; common in retail catalogues and medical writing

  • lingerie

    refers specifically to women's elegant or romantic undergarments, often made of lace or silk

  • undies

    informal and often childlike or affectionate; common in family settings

Antonyms
  • outerwear

    clothing worn on top of other garments, such as coats, jackets, and sweaters

Grammar Patterns

article-less: underwear is [adjective]

a piece/pair of + underwear

Usage Note

Underwear is an uncountable noun in standard English — you cannot say 'an underwear' or 'underwears'. To refer to one specific item, use a phrase such as 'a piece of underwear' or name the garment directly, for example 'a pair of boxers', 'a vest', or 'a pair of briefs'.

Common Mistakes

I need to buy a new underwear.
I need to buy new underwear.
Underwear is uncountable; it does not take 'a'.
She packed three underwears for the trip.
She packed three pairs of underwear for the trip.
Use 'pieces of' or 'pairs of' to count underwear.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Underwear is the most common, neutral term for any garment worn beneath outer clothing — it fits almost any situation. Undergarments is more formal and appears in retail catalogues, medical contexts, or laundry instructions. Lingerie narrows the meaning to women's elegant or seductive underclothes, often made of silk or lace, and carries romantic or fashion-oriented associations. Undies is informal and affectionate, used mostly with children or in relaxed family talk. For example, a shop might sell 'men's underwear and women's lingerie', while a parent tells a child to 'put your clean undies on'.

underwear ↗undergarmentslingerie ↗undies

Common collocations

Phrases

  • change your underwear
  • a pair of underwear
  • a piece of underwear
  • wear underwear under something

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Underwear is a compound formed within English from 'under-' (meaning beneath) and 'wear' (clothing). The word began appearing in the late 19th century, gradually replacing earlier terms such as 'underclothes' and 'under garments'.