-pants

See also: pants

English

Etymology

Extracted from fancypants.

Suffix

-pants

1. (informal, usually derogatory) Used with adjectives ending in -y to form nicknames based on a negative quality of a person.
   • 1986, Babette Cole, Princess Smartypants, Hamish Hamilton, →ISBN:

     [book title]

   • 1999, Eden Robinson, Monkey Beach: A Novel, Abacus, (cited from Houghton Mifflin/Mariner Books, 2002, →ISBN), p. 91:

     We used to call her Miss Bossy Pants when she was a kid.

   • 2005, Lauren Myracle, Rhyme with Witches, Amulet Books, →ISBN, page 21:

     You had to pull one of your stupid disappearing tricks because you were being a pouty-pants.

   • 2012, April 21, Meghan McCarthy, "A Canterlot Wedding - Part 1" [television episode], My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic:

     Gee, maybe her name should be "Princess Demandy Pants".

   bossypants, fancypants, smarty pants, greedy-pants, pouty pants

Usage notes

• Usually the adjective must be two syllables long and end in -y, potentially with an interfix if the original adjective ends in a different sound.
• As with fancypants, usage has not yet settled as to whether this should be separate, linked with a hyphen as a suffixoid, or fused like a normal affix.

Derived terms

English terms suffixed with -pants

Anagrams

• NAPTs, snapt