Why do we say ” a pair of pants” & what part of English speech is “pair?
The original word for the garment covering the legs of men was pantaloon. The word pant was often used as a synonym for pantleg, that is, the covering of only one leg. In this case the complete garment would have two pants, or better, a pair. Pantaloon as a garment could be used in the singular, but most often the plural was preferred. In the U.S. in particular, the single word “pant” came be used in the retail clothing industry (late 19th c. onward) to represent what every one else would call either “pants” or “a pair of pants,” e.g., ” A practical and well made pant for general sportswear” (L.L. Bean Catalogue, 1962). Sometimes clerks would use pant alone as a part-for-the-whole expression, meaning a garment with pantlegs. But “pants” as we know them really got their start as a colloquialism in the U.S. in the 19th century. There is still a widespread feeling that “pants” are not quite as dignified as “trousers.” I mentioned pantaloon. The word has an interesting history, which I’ll
