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Definition of underwear

underwear

/ˈʌn.dɚˌwɛɹ/
un · der · wear
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underwear Lexical Profile

underwear Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

Clothing worn beneath outer garments, typically next to the skin.

Example

"He reminded the children to pack enough clean underwear and socks for their camping trip."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for underwear
Antonyms
View all antonyms for underwear

Word Nuance & Usage

In standard English, 'underwear' is an uncountable (mass) noun; to refer to individual items, you must use a phrase like 'a piece of underwear' or 'a pair of underwear.'

• Nearby Words

undervalue
underwater
underway
underwear
underweight
underwhelm
underwhelming

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the late 19th century (around the 1880s) from the prefix 'under-' combined with 'wear' (meaning things to be worn), largely replacing the older term 'underclothes'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Underwear. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/underwear
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