-pants
See also: pants
English
Etymology
Extracted from fancypants.
Suffix
-pants
- (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, p. 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
- 1986, Babette Cole, Princess Smartypants, Hamish Hamilton, →ISBN:
Usage notes
- Usually the adjective must be two syllable long and end in -y, eventually 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 an hyphen as a suffixoid or fused like a normal affix.