Pajamas Definition & Meaning

American

British

Usage

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Synonyms pajamas American [puh-jah-muhz, -jam-uhz] / pəˈdʒɑ məz, -ˈdʒæm əz / especially British, pyjamas

noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. clothing for wearing in bed, consisting of usually loose-fitting pants or shorts and matching top.

   my favorite pair of flannel pajamas.

2. any clothing worn for sleeping or lounging.

   The only pajamas I brought are a pair of boxers and a T-shirt.

3. a jumpsuit or two-piece outfit with loose-fitting bottoms.

   beach pajamas.

4. loose-fitting trousers, usually of silk or cotton, worn in parts of Asia.

pajamas British / pəˈdʒɑːməz /

plural noun

1. the US spelling of pyjamas

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What does pajamas mean? Pajamas are the clothes you wear to sleep in.The word is commonly and informally abbreviated as p.j.’s. It is typically spelled as pyjamas by speakers of British English.You could say that whatever clothes you change into before going to bed are your pajamas. Traditionally, though, pajamas are specifically made and sold as clothes for sleeping in, typically consisting of soft, loose-fitting pants or shorts and a (sometimes matching) top. However, there are many different types and styles, such as nightgowns.Clothes considered pajamas aren’t only worn for sleeping, though. For example, a person might drive to get a cup of coffee in the morning while still wearing their pajamas, or a college student might wake up and attend class in their pajamas. People also commonly use the terms p.j.’s and pajamas to refer to the clothes they wear to lounge in (also called loungewear), especially before bed (even if they then change into another set of pajamas to sleep in).Even more informal terms for pajamas are jammies, jams, and jam-jams. These are typically used by children, adults speaking to children, or people using childish words to be silly. The word sleepwear is sometimes used as a more formal synonym for pajamas, especially in the name of a department in a clothing store or a section of a clothing website. More formal terms, like nightclothes and nightwear, are rarely used.The word pajama, without an s, is used as a modifier in terms involving pajamas, such as pajama pants.Example: When I get home tonight, I’m changing into my most comfortable pajamas, snuggling under the covers, and watching a movie.

Other Word Forms

• pajamaed adjective

Etymology

Origin of pajamas

First recorded in 1870–75; plural of pajama, from Hindi, variant of pāyjāma, from Persian pāy “leg” + jāma “garment”

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Garcia told Kiley, then 14, to pack an overnight bag and some pajamas, assuming they would be back the next day.

From Los Angeles Times

They open the traditional gifts: one night, matching pajamas from grandparents; another night, books from an aunt and uncle; another night, chocolate gelt.

From The Wall Street Journal

What’s different this year: Ogle has cut back on Christmas-themed clothing and added more pajamas and other staples that don’t require big discounts once the holiday ends.

From The Wall Street Journal

Apparently she wants skin cream, candles, cheap jewelry, expensive pajamas, aromatherapy shower pods, and a pillow that does heated shiatsu massage.

From Barron's

“I had to come downstairs late at night in my pajamas to a kitchen filled with six people and traipse through them,” Glusac, a writer, said.

From MarketWatch

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.