shorts
UK: ʃɔːts | US: ʃɔːrts
n. a garment worn over the lower body, typically covering the hips and thighs but ending above the knees
n. (finance) short-term securities or transactions
n. (colloquial) short films or brief videos
shorts = short<brief> + s<plural suffix>
- short (from Old English scort, meaning "brief in length or duration")
- s (plural suffix, indicating multiple instances of the noun)
Etymology Origin:
The word "shorts" derives from the adjective "short," originally describing physical length or duration. By the 19th century, it was applied to trousers cut "short" above the knees, contrasting with full-length pants. The plural suffix "-s" standardizes it as a noun for the garment. In finance, "shorts" metaphorically extends the idea of "shortness" to abbreviated timeframes or bets against securities.
She wore denim shorts to the beach.
Traders often analyze shorts to predict market trends.
The film festival featured award-winning shorts.
His shorts were too tight for hiking.
Investors lost money on their shorts during the rally.