Etymology

long johns

Today it means: A full-length undergarment, worn on the bottom half of the body, or two-piece, to keep the wearer warm in cold weather. Full definition →

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long johns · noun1

Reputedly named after American heavyweight boxer John L. Sullivan (1858–1918); also posed as an approximation of French longues jambes (“long legs”); see Wikipedia.

long johns · noun2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.