What does dungaree mean?
Dungaree is a noun with two closely related meanings: a hard-wearing cotton fabric, typically woven in a blue twill, and — in modern usage, especially British English — a one-piece garment combining a bib-fronted top with trousers, secured by straps over the shoulders. Americans generally call this garment 'overalls', so 'dungarees' can sound quaint or historical in the United States, while in Britain it remains the everyday term for such clothing. The word entered English in the seventeenth century from Hindi, ultimately deriving from Dongri, a district of Mumbai (formerly Bombay) where the cloth was originally produced or traded. Historically, dungaree was prized by sailors and labourers for its cheapness and durability, which fixed its association with manual work. Today the word evokes practicality and a certain retro charm, appearing both in discussions of work clothing and in fashion writing about revived denim styles.
nounA heavy, durable cotton fabric, typically blue and twill-woven, used for work clothes; also (chiefly British) a garment — trousers with a bib front and shoulder straps, worn especially as casual or workwear.
- (British English) A garment consisting of trousers with a bib front held up by shoulder straps, worn as casual or work clothing.
- (US English) The same style of garment, more usually called overalls.
- A heavy, coarse cotton fabric, typically dyed blue, formerly used for work clothes and sails.
"She pulled on a pair of old dungarees before heading out to the garden."
"He wore paint-spattered dungarees while renovating the house."
"Sailors of the eighteenth century commonly dressed in jackets and trousers made of dungaree."
When referring to the garment, the plural form is standard in British English, treated like other plural-only clothing terms such as 'trousers'; the singular 'dungaree' refers to the fabric.
"She bought a new pair of dungarees for the camping trip."
The word 'dungaree' comes from Dongri, a dockside district of Mumbai that gave its name to the coarse cloth sailors once wore around the world.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dungaree
Dungaree entered English in the early seventeenth century, borrowed from Hindi ḍuṅgrī, the local name for a coarse calico. The Hindi word derives from Dongri, a district of Bombay (now Mumbai) associated with the production or sale of the fabric. The term first referred strictly to the cloth; the sense denoting the bib-fronted garment developed later, and today dominates usage in British English while American English prefers 'overalls'.
How dungaree is actually used
In British English, 'dungarees' is almost always plural when referring to the garment, much like 'trousers'. In American English, 'overalls' is the dominant term for the bib-front garment, and 'dungaree' sounds dated or historical. When referring to the fabric, 'dungaree' can be singular and uncountable. The word carries a connotation of sturdy, practical workwear rather than fashion, though dungarees have periodically returned as casual fashion items.
Easily confused with dungaree
Denim is the general cotton twill fabric itself, whereas dungaree historically referred to a similar coarse fabric and now chiefly means the bib-front garment made from it.