boy shorts

plural noun

: women's briefs with a low waist and with leg openings at the top of the thigh that are cut parallel to the waist
My favorites … are the boy shorts. I find that they're long enough to give me the coverage that feels right for me and the aesthetic I'm looking for, but they're short enough that they don't bunch up under pants or ride up throughout the day.Jen Gushue

Examples of boy shorts in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web These mesh panties are a one-size-fits-all pair of boy shorts that are meant to be stretchy, lightweight, and breathable. Nikita Charuza, Peoplemag, 20 Feb. 2024 On the cover, another man posed her on a bed wearing only a bra and boy shorts, with a Teletubby tucked under her arm. Amanda Hess, New York Times, 30 Oct. 2023 Some of the stylish swimwear included a black cutout one-piece, a leopard-print triangle top with matching boy shorts, and a slinky Barbie-pink mockneck dress. Quinci Legardye, Harper's BAZAAR, 23 July 2023 The matching two-piece was composed of an ultra-cropped racerback tank top—with a hem that barely covered her underboob—and a pair of low-rise micro boy shorts. Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 13 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'boy shorts.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1974, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of boy shorts was in 1974

Dictionary Entries Near boy shorts

Cite this Entry

“Boy shorts.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/boy%20shorts. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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