underwear
/ˈʌndəwɛə/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: underwears
Sense 1
Meaning · English
Clothes worn next to the skin, underneath outer clothing.
Noun
Examples
Don't scratch and bite, my little bear, you'll soon need bigger underwear.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
Underpants (boxers, briefs, panties, etc) and often bras.
NounRegister: colloquial
Examples
“A thong,” she answered him breathlessly. Now completely turned on by the fact that his man was sniffing her underwear and grinning like a tiger that took down its prey. That is if tigers could smile and still look sexy.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “underwear” mean?
Clothes worn next to the skin, underneath outer clothing.
Is “underwear” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.