pants

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European*peh₂-
2. Proto-Indo-European*ph₂énts?
3. Proto-Hellenic*pánts
4. Ancient Greekπᾶς (pâs)
5. Ancient Greekἔλεος (éleos)
6. Ancient Greekἐλεέω (eleéō)
7. Ancient Greekἐλεήμων (eleḗmōn)
8. Ancient GreekΠαντελεήμων (Panteleḗmōn)
9. ItalianPantalone
10. Frenchpantalon
11. Englishpantaloon
12. Englishpantaloons
13. English todaypants

Shortened from pantaloons (“trousers”): borrowed from French pantalon, itself derived from Italian Pantalone, one of the principal characters found in commedia dell'arte, who wore tight trousers. Doublet of pantsu. The verb is from the noun.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 19th c. An outer garment that covers the body from the waist downwards, covering each leg separately, usually as far as the ankles; trousers.
• from 19th c. An undergarment that covers the genitals and often the buttocks and the neighbouring parts of the body; underpants.