breeches

== English == === Alternative forms === breeks (Scotland) britches (Appalachia, Southern US) === Etymology === From Middle English breches, brechen pl, a variant of Middle English breche, brech, brek (“breeches”), from Old English brēċ (“underpants”), the plural of brōc (“legging, buttocks”), from Proto-West Germanic *brōk, from Proto-Germanic *brōks (“crotch, legging, trousers”). Akin to West Frisian broek (“leggings, over-trousers”), Dutch broek (“pair of trousers, underpants, long-johns”), obsolete German Bruch (“pair of hose, leggings, pants trousers”), Old Norse brók (“breeches”) (whence Danish brog); compare Latin brācae ( > French braies, Spanish bragas) which is immediately of Celtic origin, yet ultimately borrowed from the same Proto-Germanic source above. Compare brail. === Pronunciation === (plural of breech): IPA(key): /ˈbɹiː.t͡ʃɪz/ (smallclothes; trousers): IPA(key): /ˈbɹɪ.t͡ʃɪz/ (traditional) IPA(key): /ˈbɹiː.t͡ʃɪz/ (more recent spelling pronunciation) Rhymes: -ɪtʃɪz, -iːtʃɪz === Noun === breeches plural of breech === Noun === breeches pl (plural only, attributive breech) (historical) A garment worn by men, covering the hips and thighs; smallclothes. (informal) Trousers; pantaloons. Synonyms: trousers, pants ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Descendants ==== → Irish: bríste ==== Translations ==== === See also === pantaloons britches jodhpurs === Further reading === breeches on Wikipedia.Wikipedia