What's the difference between them for you? For me, trousers are what you put on over your pants.
''trousers'' and ''pants''
Well for me, there is no difference - "trousers" isn't part of my idiolect.
What you would call "trousers", I would call "pants", and what you would call "pants", I would call "underwear" or "underpants".
What you would call "trousers", I would call "pants", and what you would call "pants", I would call "underwear" or "underpants".
<<Well for me, there is no difference - "trousers" isn't part of my idiolect.
What you would call "trousers", I would call "pants", and what you would call "pants", I would call "underwear" or "underpants".>>
That's interesting! I remember one time when I was hearing an American on television talking about what kind of pants that people should wear to work and I was thinking "Why does it matter? No one will ever see your pants anyway." I finally found out that they were talking about trousers.
What you would call "trousers", I would call "pants", and what you would call "pants", I would call "underwear" or "underpants".>>
That's interesting! I remember one time when I was hearing an American on television talking about what kind of pants that people should wear to work and I was thinking "Why does it matter? No one will ever see your pants anyway." I finally found out that they were talking about trousers.
Yeah I don't use the word "trousers." It's generally not used here in the US.
I think the British term "pants" has evolved into "panties" -- only worn by women (and a few unusual men) -- leaving "pants" free to take over the job of "trousers", which is now an archaic term in the US.
Trousers and pants are the same for me. Underpants are underneath these.
I likewise do not normally actively use the word "trousers", besides some specialized uses such as that mentioned by Uriel, and instead always use the term "pants" to refer to what some refer to as such, but furthermore the word "underpants" is not actively used in my idiolect, and the word "underwear" is solely used for such.
<<"underpants" is not actively used in my idiolect, and the word "underwear" is solely used for such.>>
Yeah, "underwear" is the term I mainly use as well.
Yeah, "underwear" is the term I mainly use as well.
After reading Travis' response, underwear is a better word for underpants here. But pants definitely = trousers for me.
Immaterial where I'm concerned.....I wear a kilt and as for what is or is not underneath is my business. :-)