different between briefs vs underwear

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /b?i?fs/
• Rhymes: -i?fs

Noun

briefs

1. plural of brief

Noun

briefs

1. (usually in the plural) A very short, close-fitting type of underpants.

Usage notes

Despite being a single item of clothing, briefs—like pants, trousers, underpants, &c.—are considered to come in "pairs" and are counted using the phrase "pair(s) of".

Derived terms

• midway briefs
• boxer briefs
• trunk briefs
• bikini briefs
• control brief
• swim briefs

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:underwear

Translations

Verb

briefs

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

Anagrams

• FBIers, fibers, fibres

English

Etymology

From under- +? wear. Compare Dutch ondergoed, German Unterwäsche, Swedish underkläder.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /??nd??w??/, /??nd?w?/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??nd?w??/

Noun

underwear (uncountable)

1. Clothes worn next to the skin, underneath outer clothing.
2. (colloquial) Underpants (boxers, briefs, panties, etc) and often bras.
   • 1998, Banjo-Kazooie, Rareware.

   • 2006, Toni L. Meilleur, Tournament of Fire

     “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.

Synonyms

• shreddies
• underclothes
• undergarment
• undies
• See also Thesaurus:underwear

Translations