Palazzos

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A style of fashionable trousers, often wide-legged and flowing, that are typically worn in casual or semi-formal settings
2. Loose-fitting garments made from lightweight fabric, known for their comfort and elegance, suitable for various occasions
3. A type of stylish pant characterized by a high waist and wide legs, often associated with chic and relaxed outfits

Etymology: "Palazzos" is simply the plural of "palazzo", and the trousers sense is a much later, fashion-driven extension of an old architectural word. The original meaning is the large townhouse of an Italian nobleman, a sense borrowed into English from Italian. Its ancestor is Latin "palatium", the name of the Palatine, one of Rome's seven hills, where the city's aristocrats built their grand homes. The hill's name thus became a general word for a great residence, and eventually the palace of rulers. English "palace" and "palazzo" are doublets, two forms of one word that entered the language by different routes. "Palace" came through French, while "palazzo" came straight from Italian, which kept the sound closer to Latin. The same ancestor also gave German "Pfalz", meaning a palatinate or royal residence. The trousers sense is the surprise here. Palazzo pants take their name from the broad, palace-like sweep of their legs, which hangs loosely like the wide facade of a grand building.

Synonyms: palaces, mansions