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Why is bra singular and panties plural?

Ladies?
BootyCutie22-25, F
"Bra" is short for "brassiere," which is a French word, that originally, as a garment, meant a bodice. A bodice is an article of clothing for women, covering the body from the neck to the waist. ... In common usage, bodice refers to a sleeveless upper garment. Brassiere may have originated directly from the word for "arm" in French, or may come from the Old French word for "arm guard," "braciere"; either way, the salient point is that the root is the French word for "arm," which is the same word whether it is singular or plural, "bras."

"Panties" actually also comes originally from French, from the word "pantalon," and it was in English that it acquired the standard plural, "pantaloons," and later just pants, in order to be parallel to garments the English already wore on their legs, called "stockings."

In English, garments with two legs are often given a plural ending even when we mean a single item of clothing. For example: pants, panties, pantaloons, trousers, breeches, shorts, boxers, etc, etc. Also we often refer to them singularly as a pair of pants/trousers etc.

Anyway, "panties" are short pantaloons, which is why they maintained the plural form.
SW-User
@BootyCutie Mind blowing....
JennaBug31-35, F
I often call mine bras... not always but often I do. I'm not actually sure what is right. It's actually an abbreviation so I guess either one is correct... Just thinking this out 馃
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Smokey46-50, M
@AllMight we fry bacon
Skyline47031-35, M
@Smokey But isn't frying a form of cooking? :O
Smokey46-50, M
@Skyline470 not when it comes to bacon馃槨
When I worked in a lingerie store I would try to sell my customer a "bra and panty" set if I was zoned in that area. When I would ask them "what brought them to our store today" a lot would say they need some "new bras and panties" /

As women we will go through panties a lot quick the bras and that may be why the plural you are referring to.

Also it the culture of the industry, the marketing of essentials, to refer to a panty as panties when selling to a customer.
Winenot51-55, F
It鈥檚 Friday night, I reserve the right not to think too hard.
MellyMel22F
[image deleted]
purplepen51-55, F
Because the legs go in one at a time whereas the other things get wrapped up together.
sighmeupforthat46-50, M
Hurts doesn't it boy.
FeetAreFantastic41-45, M
That's a very good question

 
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