big-girl pants

See also: big girl pants

English

Alternative forms

• big girl pants

Etymology

See big girl.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ænts

Noun

big-girl pants pl (plural only)

1. (informal) Pull-up underwear worn by a girl during and after toilet training, as contrasted to the diapers worn during infancy.

   Hypernym: underpants

   Coordinate term: big-boy pants

   • 1987, Stephen W. Garber, Good Behavior: Over 1,200 Sensible Solutions to Your Child's Problems from Birth to Age Twelve, Villard Books, published 1987, →ISBN, page 161:

     Talk about how she'll be able to wear big-girl pants or fancy pants (decorated training pants) because she will learn to use the potty.

   • 2006, Teri Crane, Potty Train Your Child in Just One Day: Proven Secrets of the Potty Pro, Fireside, published 2006, →ISBN, page 240:

     You might say something like, “Nancy, this morning before you woke up, Dolly went pee-pee in her big-girl pants. We don't go pee-pee in our big-girl pants, do we?”

   • 2010, Kim Bookout, Karen Williams, The Everything Guide to Potty Training: A Practical Guide to Finding the Best Approach for You and Your Child, Adams Media, published 2010, →ISBN, page 107:

     As you get started on potty training, take your child to the store with you. Show her the wide variety of big girl pants available, and let her choose the style and picture that works best for her.

2. (informal, figuratively) A notional pair of trousers or underwear worn by a female when acting maturely.

   Antonyms: bitchy pants, grumpy pants, scaredy pants

   Coordinate term: big-boy pants

   • 2010, Stacy Fry, “Hope for Independence: A Diary Excerpt”, in Kathy Nimmer, editor, Two Plus Four Equals: Celebrating the Partnership of People with Disabilities and Their Assistance Dogs, Dog Ear Publishing, →ISBN, page 31:

     I am very disappointed, but we did always say we wanted the best dog for her, so I will have to put my big girl pants on now and have faith that this will be the perfect dog for our family and for Ehlena.

   • 2011, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Retribution, St. Martin's Press, published 2011, →ISBN, page 95:

     So put on your big-girl pants and own up to what you and your stupidity caused.

   • 2015, Kelly Tonelli, Life Lessons for the Teenage Girl: Quotes, Inspiration and Advice for Women by Women, Morgan James Publishing, published 2015, →ISBN, page 101:

     Oftentimes you're embarrassed and don't want other people to know about it. You likely feel like crap and wish you had never put yourself out there in the first place. Shake it off, my friend. It's time to pull on your big girl pants.

Related terms

• in short pants