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

Levi’s are a staple in the denim industry for a reason. —Mia McManus, PEOPLE, 13 Apr. 2026

While the wide-leg denim trend is making way for slimmer styles in 2026, most fashion-forward celebs and trendsetters have doubled-down on baggy denim by letting their hems puddle to the ground, as if to viscerally reject any semblance of structure. —Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 12 Apr. 2026

The leather softens beautifully with each wear, and the slim silhouette styles well with virtually everything—cropped trousers, slip skirts, even relaxed denim. —Paris Wilson, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2026

The technology improves comfort and movement while maintaining a more vintage, authentic denim aesthetic, rather than the overly synthetic look that can occur with traditional stretch constructions. —Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 10 Apr. 2026

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.