An informal or old-fashioned word for pants or trousers, especially short pants that reach just below the knee.
From Middle English 'breech,' ultimately from Proto-Germanic roots. The word originally referred to any leg covering and evolved into the modern term for trousers.
The word 'britches' comes from the same root as 'breech,' which is why a baby's bottom is called the 'breech' and why the back end of a gun is the 'breech'—they're all about covering that area!
Britches historically marked class and gender divisions—working-class men wore them; women in britches faced social censure. The word became gendered through sumptuary norms enforcing skirts for 'respectable' women.
Use neutrally for any garment; avoid gendered commentary on who 'should' wear them.
["trousers","pants","breeches"]
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.