Definition of breeches

The word "breeches" is an old English term for a type of pants or trousers, particularly those worn by men in earlier centuries. Its origin can be traced back to the Middle Ages, where the garment that would eventually become breeches was first known as "braunches." The word "braunches" was likely derived from the Old French word "braunche," which originally referred to a type of linen drawer or garment worn beneath hose or other legwear. The French word "braunche" was adopted into Old English, where it eventually evolved into the Middle English term "braunche," and later "braw Ces." By the late 14th century, "braw Ces" had become "brawches," and by the 15th century, the spelling had contracted further to "breeches." The word's original reference to a type of undergarment, however, had shifted, and by the 16th century, breeches referred specifically to the outer pants or trousers worn by men. Although breeches fell out of fashion in the early 20th century, replaced by more modern forms of pants and trousers, the word remains in use as a historical or antiquated term, often used to describe traditional menswear styles such as breeches commonly worn by equestrians and other sportsmen, or as an archaic word for a kind of tight-fitting, high-waisted pant made popular by the Renaissance fashion culture in the 14th to 16th centuries.