denim

noun

den·​im ˈde-nəm How to pronounce denim (audio)
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 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The fabrics are sourced in Italy and Japan, the products are manufactured in Turkey and retail for a higher price than traditional denim. Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 14 July 2025 Designers revealed what’s ahead for Spring/Summer 2026 denim during men’s fashion weeks in Milan and Paris. Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 9 July 2025 Plenty of wardrobe heroes are also on sale, including some of our favorite denim and the ultimate white T-shirt. Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 9 July 2025 The idea was to leverage their skillsets in design, production, and marketing to produce something genuinely new and deeply responsible to the crowded denim category. Simon Mainwaring, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for denim

Word History

Etymology

French (serge) de Nîmes serge of Nîmes, France

First Known Use

1695, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of denim was in 1695

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Cite this Entry

“Denim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/denim. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

denim

noun
den·​im ˈden-əm How to pronounce denim (audio)
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.

More from Merriam-Webster on denim

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