jean

The word “jean” means a sturdy cotton twill fabric, now more commonly known by its plural form "jeans.". In plain terms, the denim-like fabric that gave its name to modern jeans.

“Jean” is pronounced jeen (/d͡ʒiːn/ in IPA).

Here is “jean” used in a sentence: “The jacket was made of heavy blue jean.”

“Jean” is a noun.

The word “jean” comes from Old English. From an old English name for Genoa, Italy, where a similar coarse cotton cloth was originally produced.

“Jean” is a fairly common word in modern English.

"Jean" refers to the sturdy cotton twill fabric itself, used as an uncountable material noun, while "jeans" is the plural word for the trousers made from it. Today "jeans" is far more common, and "jean" as a fabric term is fairly technical.

Both are cotton twill fabrics, but they differ in weave: denim is woven with a coloured warp and white weft, while jean fabric is traditionally woven with threads of a single colour throughout. The trousers we call jeans are usually made from denim rather than jean cloth.

Because trousers have two legs, the garment is treated as a plural like "trousers" or "scissors," so people say "a pair of jeans." The singular "jean" survives mainly as the name of the fabric itself.

Yes, "jean" can modify a noun to mean "made of jean or denim fabric," as in "a jean jacket" or "jean skirt." In this use it functions much like the word "denim."