General
dungarees
What does dungarees mean?
Denim trousers. An older word for jeans that persisted in New England speech.
"Put on your dungarees, we're working in the yard."
Origin
From Hindi 'dungri' (a coarse cotton cloth); retained regionally in New England for jeans.
Frequently asked questions
What are dungarees?
They're denim trousers — an older word for jeans that stuck around in New England speech.
Where does the word 'dungarees' come from?
It comes from the Hindi word 'dungri,' a coarse cotton cloth, and was retained regionally in New England to mean jeans.
Is 'dungarees' still used today?
It's an older term now, but it persists among some New England speakers as a word for jeans or work denim.
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