denim

noun

den·​im ˈde-nəm 

1

a

: a firm durable twilled usually cotton fabric woven with colored warp and white filling threads

b

: a similar fabric woven in colored stripes

2

denims plural : overalls or trousers usually of blue denim

denimed

ˈde-nəmd 

adjective

Did you know?

Many fabrics have been named for the places where they were once made. Denim gets its name from Nîmes, a city in France famous for its textiles. But the name came about in an unusual way. The fabric, a heavy serge, was originally called serge de Nîmes, literally, “serge from Nîmes.” The “s” on Nîmes is not pronounced in French, so when the name of the fabric came into English, it was often written serge de Nim and later serge denim. In time, this was shortened to simply denim.

Examples of denim in a Sentence

He's wearing faded denims and cowboy boots.

Recent Examples on the Web

Paige unveiled its men’s and women’s Winter 2025 collection on Wednesday, delivering après chic and elevated denim. —Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 12 Nov. 2025

Apart from being walking-friendly enough for commuting to and from the office, the relatively comfortable heel also gives your denim, maxidresses, and trousers a little lift, keeping hems from dragging. —Shelby Ying Hyde, Glamour, 11 Nov. 2025

The Japanese designer’s most recent capsule of the sneaker featured Levi’s denim uppers, a material that’s also popping up more and more in Nike releases. —Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 11 Nov. 2025

Best Women’s Travel Pant Deals Madewell is largely famous for their high-quality and affordable denim, and luckily, there are dozens of best-selling styles on sale right now starting at just $30. —Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 11 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French (serge) de Nîmes serge of Nîmes, France

First Known Use

1695, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for denim

• plenum
• venom
• imipenem

Kids Definition

denim

noun

den·​im ˈden-əm 

1

: a firm durable twilled usually cotton fabric

2

plural : overalls or trousers of denim

Etymology

from French (serge) de Nîmes "serge (fabric) from Nîmes (city in France)"

Word Origin

Many fabrics have been named for the places where they were once made. Denim gets its name from Nîmes, a city in France famous for its textiles. But the name came about in an unusual way. The fabric, a heavy serge, was originally called serge de Nîmes, literally, "serge from Nîmes." The "s" on Nîmes is not pronounced in French, so when the name of the fabric came into English, it was often written serge de Nim and later serge denim. In time this was shortened to simply denim.