Pajamas is a loanword that entered English from Hindi and Urdu. It comes from forms such as paejama or payjama, which meant a leg garment or loose trousers tied at the waist.
When English speakers first borrowed the word, they used it mainly for the trousers themselves, not for a full set of clothes for sleeping. Over time, the meaning widened. In modern English, pajamas usually means sleepwear, often a matching top and bottoms.
This kind of change is common in language. A borrowed word can keep part of its original meaning, then develop a new everyday use in the receiving language.
- Earlier sense: loose trousers
- Common modern sense: clothes worn to sleep
- Example: He changed into his pajamas before bed.
British English often spells the word pyjamas, while American English usually prefers pajamas. The spelling differs, but the history is the same.
