legging

noun

leg·​ging ˈle-gən 

 also  ˈlā-,

-giŋ

variants or less commonly leggin

ˈle-gən 

 also  ˈlā-

plural leggings also leggins

1

a

: pants that are made of a material that stretches to fit tightly around the legs

—usually used in plural

Lycra-cotton leggings and tunic tops are the pregnant woman's best friend, sartorially speaking.

—Anne Reeks

b

: tights

—usually used in plural

Something about the name "footed leggings" just makes these sound way warmer than your basic tights.

—Melanie Richtman

2

a

: a covering (as of leather or cloth) for the legs worn over pants for protection

—usually used in plural

Welding leggings protect the lower leg (from the knee down) from sparks and spatter. Leather is naturally abrasion and flame resistant for use in applications with heavy sparks and spatter.

—Grainger.com

b

: a pair of separate coverings (as of leather or cloth) for the legs

—usually used in plural

… "leggings [worn by Plains Indians men] reached from the ankle to the thigh and were held in place by tying thongs, attached to their tops, to the belt. …"

—Norman Feder, quoted in Dress Clothing of the Plains Indians

Examples of legging in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The woman was described as probably in her 40s or 50s and about 5 feet, 9 inches tall, dressed in a black sweater over a white T-shirt with black leggings and wearing heavy mascara and her brown hair in a ponytail. —Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 July 2025

Best Lululemon Travel Pant Deals Who doesn’t love scoring a few dollars off Lululemon’s iconic selection of leggings and pants? —Hillary Maglin, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2025

The line is available for purchase via the brand’s e-commerce platform, with prices ranging from $68 to $90 for bra tops and $88 to $140 for leggings and bottoms. —Emily Mercer, Footwear News, 2 July 2025

The star wore the label’s knitted bra and tube top set, paired with black leggings and pointed white pumps. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 29 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1718, in the meaning defined at sense 2b

Rhymes for legging

• begging
• pegging
• bootlegging

Kids Definition

legging

noun

leg·​ging

variants or leggin

ˈleg-ən 

ˈleg-iŋ

: a covering for the leg