variants
or less commonly leggin
ˈle-gən 
also ˈlā-
plural leggings also leggins
1
a
: pants that are made of a material that stretches to fit tightly around the legs
—usually used in plural
Lycra-cotton leggings and tunic tops are the pregnant woman's best friend, sartorially speaking.—
Anne Reeks
Anne Reeks
b
: tights
—usually used in plural
Something about the name "footed leggings" just makes these sound way warmer than your basic tights.—Melanie Richtman
Melanie Richtman2
a
: a covering (as of leather or cloth) for the legs worn over pants for protection
—usually used in plural
Welding leggings protect the lower leg (from the knee down) from sparks and spatter. Leather is naturally abrasion and flame resistant for use in applications with heavy sparks and spatter.—Grainger.com
Grainger.com
b
: a pair of separate coverings (as of leather or cloth) for the legs
—usually used in plural
… "leggings [worn by Plains Indians men] reached from the ankle to the thigh and were held in place by tying thongs, attached to their tops, to the belt. …"—Norman Feder, quoted in Dress Clothing of the Plains Indians
Norman Feder, quoted in Dress Clothing of the Plains IndiansExamples of legging in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As a mom, leggings are a no-brainer wardrobe essential most days.
—Chaunie Brusie, Rn, Parents, 19 Mar. 2025
The brand’s high-quality leggings have been a casual style staple for over a decade, and its newer heavy-hitters (like the Everywhere Belt Bag) are worn by travelers across the globe.
—Genevieve Cepeda, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2025
Normally, Lululemon leggings scrunch up at my ankles, but these fit perfectly.
—Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 14 Mar. 2025
Lululemon Align High-Rise Crop Leggings Speaking of cropped styles, now’s the time to refresh your leggings collection with shorter silhouettes as temperatures warm up.
—Averi Baudler, People.com, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for legging
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Chaunie Brusie, Rn, Parents, 19 Mar. 2025
The brand’s high-quality leggings have been a casual style staple for over a decade, and its newer heavy-hitters (like the Everywhere Belt Bag) are worn by travelers across the globe.
—Genevieve Cepeda, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2025
Normally, Lululemon leggings scrunch up at my ankles, but these fit perfectly.
—Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 14 Mar. 2025
Lululemon Align High-Rise Crop Leggings Speaking of cropped styles, now’s the time to refresh your leggings collection with shorter silhouettes as temperatures warm up.
—Averi Baudler, People.com, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for legging
Cite this Entry
“Legging.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/legging. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share