Laggings

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Clothing that fits tightly around the legs, often made from stretchy material for comfort and warmth
2. A style of close-fitting legwear that is designed for both fashion and physical activity, typically worn by women
3. Garments worn on the lower body that can vary in thickness and style, providing both mobility and aesthetic appeal

Etymology: "Laggings" is the plural of "lagging", and the word's real history lies in the noun "lag". The sense of "lag" meaning to fall behind is a different word from the one that gives us this term, which is best understood through the older sense of "lag" as an outer covering. Lagging is the material wrapped around something to keep it warm or insulated, and the same idea of a covering or outer layer carried over into the clothing sense used here for close-fitting leg coverings. Because "lagging" is simply the plural of a noun that already names a covering, the word stays close to its physical meaning: something wrapped snugly around a surface. Its clothing use grew naturally from that picture of a close wrap around the legs, without any further compound or suffix to explain.

Synonyms: tights, leggings