different between breeches vs breaches

English

Alternative forms

• britches (Appalachia, Southern US)

Etymology

From Middle English breches, brechen pl, a variant of Middle English breche, brech, brek (“breeches”), from Old English br?? (“breeches”), from Proto-Germanic *br?kiz pl (nom.acc.), from Proto-Germanic *br?ks (“trousers”); akin to Old Norse brók (“breeches”), Danish brog, Dutch broek, German Bruch f; compare Latin br?cae ( > French braies) which is immediately of Celtic origin, and likely ultimately from the same Germanic origin above. Compare brail.

Pronunciation

• (plural of breech):

  IPA^(key): /?b?i?t??z/

• (smallclothes; trousers):

  IPA^(key): /?b??t??z/ (traditional)

  IPA^(key): /?b?i?t??z/ (more recent spelling pronunciation)

• Rhymes: -?t??z, -i?t??z

Noun

breeches

1. plural of breech

Noun

breeches pl (plural only)

1. A garment worn by men, covering the hips and thighs; smallclothes.
2. (informal) Trousers; pantaloons.

   Synonyms: trousers, pants

Derived terms

• breeches buoy
• breeches pipe: a forked pipe forming two branches united at one end
• knee-breeches
• open-kneed breeches
• wear the breeches: see wear the pants, wear the trousers
• too big for one's britches

Translations

See also

• pantaloons
• britches
• jodhpurs

Further reading

• breeches on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?b?i?t??z/
• Homophone: breeches

Noun

breaches

1. plural of breach

Verb

breaches

1. Third-person singular simple present indicative form of breach