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Many fabrics have been named for the places where they were once made. Denim gets its name from Nîmes, a city in France famous for its textiles. But the name came about in an unusual way. The fabric, a heavy serge, was originally called serge de Nîmes, literally, “serge from Nîmes.” The “s” on Nîmes is not pronounced in French, so when the name of the fabric came into English, it was often written serge de Nim and later serge denim. In time, this was shortened to simply denim.
Examples of denim in a Sentence
Michelle Rostamian, People.com, 8 Mar. 2025
Attendees are invited to dress to impress in their denim best.
—Melinda Moore, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
The Canadian apparel brand is gearing up to launch a new men’s and women’s collection made with Performance Denim Lite, a lightweight, breathable denim that can be worn year-round comfortable.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 5 Mar. 2025
In another moment during the installment, Kaling switches out her denim for a floral dress courtesy of Zimmermann.
—Julia Teti, WWD, 4 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for denim
Cite this Entry
“Denim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/denim. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.
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denim
noun
from French (serge) de Nîmes "serge (fabric) from Nîmes (city in France)"
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