Breeches
In Southern and Appalachian English, "breeches" means pants or trousers. It’s an older English word preserved in regional speech.
synonyms: pants, trousers, overalls
Hillbilly Dude Says...
I'll your out in the country, you'll still hear old timers say 'breeches. Hillbilly Dude Says...
I'll your out in the country, you'll still hear old timers say 'breeches. Pronunciation
[BRITCH-iz] /ˈbrɪtʃ.ɪz/
Meaning & Usage
- Pants or trousers (noun)
Elmer:
He split his breeches climbing that fence.
He split his breeches climbing that fence.
Estel:
Better sew ’em up before Mama sees.
Better sew ’em up before Mama sees.variations: britches, pants, trousers
★ "Breeches" is the older spelling; "britches" reflects the Southern/Appalachian pronunciation. Both mean pants. ★
Origin and Etymology
From Old English brēc ("leg covering"), through Middle English "breche" meaning trousers. "Breeches" remained standard English into the 19th century. In Southern/Appalachian speech it shifted to "britches" and persisted as the everyday term for pants long after it faded elsewhere.
Usage Notes
- Common across Appalachia and the rural South; rarely heard in mainstream speech today except in folk sayings.
- Appears in expressions like "too big for your britches" meaning "too arrogant."
- Spelling "britches" mirrors regional pronunciation and is widely recognized in writing about Southern/Appalachian speech.