Breeks

/briks/ noun

Definition

Trousers or breeches, particularly knee-length pants; Scottish word for pants or trousers of any kind.

Etymology

From Middle English and Old English 'brēc,' related to Germanic roots. The plural form has become standard in both English and Scottish usage, though 'breeches' is the more formal English variant.

Kelly Says

The word 'breeks' is etymologically identical to 'breeches,' but Scottish kept the older pronunciation and form—linguists call this a 'linguistic fossil,' where one dialect preserves an older version of a word.

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