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smallclothes

smallclothes

9.9
Knee-length trousers that men wore with formal clothes in the 17th and 18th centuries
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : calzones
  • During the 18th century, men of status wore silk smallclothes to formal events.

Examples

  • In the portrait, the gentleman is dressed in elegant smallclothes and a powdered wig.

  • The museum displayed a set of embroidered smallclothes from the colonial era.

  • He wore elegant smallclothes to the royal banquet.

  • The smallclothes were often adorned with lace.

  • In the portrait, the gentleman is dressed in elegant smallclothes and a powdered wig.

  • During the 18th century, men of status wore silk smallclothes to formal events.

  • The museum displayed a set of embroidered smallclothes from the colonial era.

Synonyms

knicker
vssmallclothes
  • Archaic
2 8.1

Loose knee-length trousers gathered at the knee and worn for sport or old-fashioned dress

is more tailored and serves formal ceremonial use, not for sports
knickerbocker
vssmallclothes
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A type of short loose pants that gather at the knee

is a tailored garment worn as formal historical attire rather than casual fashion
knee breeches
vssmallclothes
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Short trousers fastened just below the knee, worn by men in the 1600s and 1700s

is worn mainly as formal historical dress rather than everyday wear
breeches
vssmallclothes
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Trousers that end above the knee and fasten below it

is used specifically for formal ceremonial dress rather than ordinary historical trousers

Surface Forms

smallclothes singular
smallclothes plural

Morphology

smallclothes = small + clothes (opaque) = small + clothes

Although clearly formed from 'small' + 'clothes', the historical senses (specific breeches or undergarments) are archaic and not predictable from modern 'small' + 'clothes'.

Etymology

Smallclothes comes from the two words small and clothes, meaning 'little clothes', and it was used for the short, knee-length breeches men wore with coats in the 17th and 18th centuries. So, think of 'small' clothes under a big coat, which is why the word means those short formal trousers.