Pyjama
/pəˈdʒɑː.mə/noun
Loose clothing worn for sleeping or lounging.
Did you know?The word entered English through colonial contact in India, ultimately from Persian and Urdu terms for a loose garment tied at the waist—proof that even the most ordinary words can be global travelers.
Etymological Timeline
Persian/Urdu
Persian/Urdu
pāy-jāma
“Leg garment; loose trousers tied at the waist”
18th–19th Century
Urdu
pyjāma
“Loose trousers or sleeping trousers worn in South Asia”
19th Century
English
pyjama
“Loose trousers adopted by Europeans in South Asia as sleepwear”
Modern English
English
pyjama
“Sleepwear consisting of loose trousers and a matching top”