By HauteFlair EditorsUpdated July 17, 20268 min readLingerie Guides
The short answer
Knickers is the British word for what Americans call panties. Within British usage, the word tends to describe fuller, higher styles more often than minimal ones. The main types are the French knicker, the full brief, the midi, the mini, the directoire, the Brazilian, and the boyshort. Thongs and G-strings are worn widely but rarely called knickers. In American English, "knickers" more often refers to knickerbockers, the knee-length trousers worn for golf and cycling.
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If you were searching for a translation you have it. What follows is the longer answer: what the word actually covers in practice, the styles it names, how they differ from one another, and where the word came from.
We have written this as a taxonomy rather than a dictionary entry. The dictionaries do the word well enough. Nobody explains the garments in one place, and the garments are the more useful thing to know.
Knickers is the British term for women's underwear. Panties is the American equivalent.
The word carries a silhouette. It leans fuller and higher than "panties" tends to imply.
The main types are French knicker, full brief, midi, mini, directoire, Brazilian, and boyshort.
Thongs and G-strings are worn but rarely referred to as knickers.
French knickers are wide-legged, high-rise, and cut on the bias so they drape.
Brazilian knickers are low to mid rise with moderate rear coverage.
In the US, "knickers" more often means knee-length trousers (knickerbockers).
The word is from 1809, coined by Washington Irving.
The Types of Knickers
The word covers a family of shapes rather than a single garment. Below is each of the main styles, with what defines it and what it works best under. Every entry links to the collection that carries it.
The six main styles of knickers, laid out flat. Each has a distinct rise, coverage, and construction.
STYLE · DEFINING FEATURES · BEST FOR
FRENCH KNICKER
Wide-legged, high-rise, bias-cut
The fabric is cut at 45 degrees to the weave, the same trick tailors used for 1930s evening gowns. That makes silk and satin fall away from the body rather than clinging. Full coverage front and rear but loose against the skin. Traditional fabrics are silk, satin, and silk-satin blends. Best under skirts, wide-leg trousers, and loose dresses. Shop French knickers →
FULL BRIEF
High-waisted, full seat, everyday
The workhorse of the category. High rise, full coverage front and back, usually cotton or a cotton blend. Comfortable, breathable, invisible under most tailoring, and the style most women own in the largest quantity. Sometimes called a "big knicker" in British usage. Shop briefs →
MIDI
Mid-rise, moderate coverage
Sits between the waist and the hip. Curved leg line, moderate rear coverage. The middle ground: less bulk than a full brief under fitted trousers, more coverage than a low-rise cut. Shop midi knickers →
MINI
Low-rise brief, sits at the hip
A lower-rise version of the brief. Cheeky or moderate rear coverage depending on the cut. Works under low-slung jeans and hip-sitting trousers where a full or midi rise would show above the waistband. Shop low-rise styles →
DIRECTOIRE
Vintage, very high-waisted, elasticated leg
A historical style with a very high waist and gently elasticated leg openings, giving a slightly bloomer-like line. Named for the French Directory period (1795 to 1799). Rarely made today outside specialist British lingerie brands. Worn as a comfort-first or nostalgic option. Shop directoire styles →
BRAZILIAN
Low to mid rise, curved rear cut
Full front coverage, moderate coverage at the back with a curved seam that sits below the fullest part. Sits between a brief and a thong in visibility. Popular under jeans, fitted trousers, and denim. Available in cotton, microfibre, and lace. Shop Brazilian styles →
BOYSHORT
Cut like fitted shorts, mid-rise
Full coverage at the seat, straight leg line, mid-rise. The most modest cut after the full brief. A good option under longer skirts, fitted skirts, and dresses where the leg line matters, and comfortable as sleepwear. Shop boyshorts →
LACE
Not a cut, a fabric across cuts
Lace briefs, lace boyshorts, lace French knickers, and lace Brazilians all exist. Lace adds transparency, texture, and a dressier feel to any of the shapes above. Usually less durable than cotton or microfibre; treat as an occasion-wear layer within the wider drawer. Shop lace styles →
THONG
Minimal rear coverage, T-back
A separate category. Widely worn under fitted clothing but in British English the phrase "thong knickers" is rare. Thongs are their own kind of underwear rather than a subset of knickers. Included here for completeness. Shop thongs →
G-STRING
The narrowest thong style
String-thin at the sides and rear. Same terminology point as the thong: rarely referred to as a knicker in British usage. The most invisible option under close-fitting jersey and satin outer fabric. Shop G-strings →
✦ A small linguistic finding
Search for "thong knickers," "bikini knickers," or "G-string knickers" and you find almost nothing. The word "knickers" does not stretch that way in ordinary British usage. It leans fuller and higher. The garments exist and are worn widely; they are just filed under their own names rather than under "knickers."
French Knickers vs Brazilian Knickers
Two of the most-searched styles, and often confused. They sit at opposite ends of the coverage spectrum despite both being flattering, feminine cuts. The comparison below shows where they differ.
Left: an ivory silk-satin French knicker, wide-legged and bias-cut. Right: a low-rise Brazilian in blush lace with a curved rear cut.
French Knicker
Brazilian
Rise
High
Low to mid
Leg cut
Wide, loose
Fitted, curved
Rear coverage
Full, drapes off the body
Moderate, sits below the fullest part
Front coverage
Full
Full
Construction
Bias-cut, flat panels
Contoured seams
Best fabric
Silk, satin, silk blends
Cotton, microfibre, lace
Best under
Skirts, wide-leg trousers, loose dresses
Jeans, fitted trousers, denim
Feel
Loose, drapes off the skin
Close to the body
A related question that comes up: bikini cut vs French cut. Bikini cut is the American term for a low-rise brief with a shallow, curved leg line, sitting at the hip. French cut refers to a higher leg opening with more thigh exposure. Both differ from the French knicker, which is the wide-legged, bias-cut silk style described above. The three terms sound similar and are used loosely in shop copy, but they name different garments.
Shop by style
Every type, one collection
French knickers, briefs, Brazilians, boyshorts, lace and directoire, all sizes. Filter by cut, rise, and fabric.
Six practical questions to work through before buying a set. Answer them in order and the right cut usually becomes obvious.
01START WITH THE OUTFIT
Fitted jeans and tailored trousers want a low-to-mid rise with minimal seams. Loose trousers, skirts and dresses give you room for a French knicker or a full brief. Fitted knits favour bonded-seam styles. Cut first, style second.
02CHOOSE THE RISE
High rise works with high-waisted trousers and vintage-cut dresses. Mid rise is the most versatile. Low rise works under hip-sitting jeans. Rise is the single biggest factor in whether the knicker shows above the waistband.
03PICK THE COVERAGE
Full coverage (brief, French knicker, boyshort) prioritises comfort. Moderate (midi, Brazilian) balances coverage and invisibility. Minimal (thong, G-string) prioritises invisibility over comfort. Pick by how much fabric you want between skin and outer clothing.
04MATCH THE FABRIC
Cotton for everyday breathability. Silk and satin for drape (French knickers, dressier styles). Microfibre for the smoothest line under fitted jersey. Lace for texture and mild transparency. Choose by wearability first, aesthetics second.
05CHECK FOR VISIBLE SEAMS
Under fitted jersey, denim and satin, seams often show. Look for laser-cut edges, bonded seams, or a wider soft-elastic waistband. Microfibre Brazilians and boyshorts are the most invisible cuts under fitted trousers.
06GET THE SIZE RIGHT
Follow the brand's size chart, not your trouser size. British, American, and European labels differ. Between two sizes on a full-coverage style, size up for comfort. On a fitted style like a Brazilian, size down to prevent riding up.
A Note on US vs UK Usage
In American English, "knickers" is more often used to refer to knickerbockers: the baggy, knee-length trousers gathered at the knee, worn historically for golf, cycling, and hiking, and still used in baseball uniforms. This is why an American reader can find British underwear references surprising, and why a Google search for "knickers" from a US location returns different results than the same search from the UK.
The word has kept both meanings on both sides of the Atlantic, but the default association flips with the geography. In Britain, "knickers" first calls to mind underwear. In America, it first calls to mind the trousers.
Where the Word Comes From
The word "knickers" is a shortening of "knickerbockers." Knickerbockers took their name from Diedrich Knickerbocker, a fictional Dutch-American historian invented by Washington Irving for his 1809 satirical book A History of New York. The illustrations in the book depicted Dutch settlers in knee-length breeches, and by the mid-nineteenth century the surname had transferred to the trousers themselves.
Women's knee-length undergarments adopted the same name in the 1880s, borrowing from the trousers by way of their similar shape. In Britain the word stuck to underwear and gradually shortened to "knickers." In America, it stayed attached to the trousers. One word, two countries, two garments.
A directoire-style knicker, closer in shape to the nineteenth-century undergarment that took the name from the trousers.
"Cambridge can tell you knickers are underwear worn by women. It cannot tell you the difference between a French knicker and a Brazilian, or why the French knicker is cut on the bias. The dictionary defines the word. Nobody defines the garments. That gap is what this guide is for."
The main types of knickers are the French knicker (wide-legged, high-rise, cut on the bias), the full brief (high-waisted, full coverage, often cotton), the midi brief (mid-rise, moderate coverage), the mini brief (low-rise, moderate coverage), the directoire (vintage, very high-waisted with elasticated leg), the Brazilian (low to mid rise with moderate rear coverage), and the boyshort (cut like fitted shorts, straight leg). Thongs and G-strings are worn but rarely called knickers.
What are Brazilian knickers?
Brazilian knickers sit low to mid rise with full coverage at the front and moderate coverage at the back. The rear cut curves in below the fullest part rather than covering it entirely, sitting between a brief and a thong in visibility. Popular under jeans, fitted trousers, and denim skirts. Available in cotton, microfibre, and lace, with lace and satin versions reading more elegant and microfibre versions reading more invisible under fitted fabric.
What is the difference between French and Brazilian knickers?
They sit at opposite ends of the coverage spectrum. French knickers are high-rise, wide-legged, and cut on the bias from silk or satin, giving fluid drape and full front and rear coverage. Brazilian knickers are low to mid rise, close to the body, with moderate rear coverage. French knickers work best under skirts and loose trousers where the wide leg has room. Brazilian knickers work best under fitted trousers and jeans where a low-cut, close-fitting style stays invisible.
What is the difference between bikini cut and French cut?
Bikini cut is the American term for a low-rise brief with a curved leg line, sitting at the hip. French cut refers to a higher leg opening with more thigh exposure. In practice a bikini cut has a shallower leg curve and sits lower on the waist, while a French cut sits similarly low but with a sharper leg line. Neither is the same as a French knicker, which is the wide-legged bias-cut silk or satin style.
Are knickers the same as panties?
Yes and no. Knickers is the British word for what Americans call panties, so the two terms broadly translate to each other. The subtle difference is that within British usage, knickers tends to describe fuller and higher styles more often than minimal ones. British speakers rarely say thong knickers or G-string knickers, for example. Panties, in American usage, covers the whole category evenly.
What are French knickers?
French knickers are a wide-legged, high-rise style traditionally made in silk or satin. The defining feature is the bias cut: the fabric is cut at 45 degrees to the weave, the same technique used for 1930s evening gowns, which makes the fabric drape and fall away from the body rather than clinging. French knickers give full coverage front and rear but do not sit close to the skin; they are worn loose.
What are directoire knickers?
Directoire knickers are a vintage style with a very high waist and gently elasticated leg openings, giving a slightly bloomer-like line. Named for the French Directory period from 1795 to 1799, they were widely worn in Britain from the late nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth. Today they are made mainly by specialist British lingerie brands and worn as a nostalgic or comfort-focused option.
Why are French knickers cut on the bias?
The bias is the 45-degree angle across a woven fabric's weave. Cutting along the bias rather than parallel to the weave gives the fabric a natural stretch and drape, so a bias-cut silk or satin falls softly and hangs away from the body. Dressmakers used the same technique for 1930s evening gowns. In French knickers the bias cut is what creates the fluid, loose leg line that distinguishes the style from a standard brief.
Are thongs a type of knickers?
Thongs and G-strings are widely worn but rarely referred to as knickers in British English. The word knickers implies a fuller shape, and phrases like thong knickers do not appear in normal usage. Thongs are a category of underwear in their own right, filed alongside knickers rather than under them.
What are big knickers?
Big knickers is a colloquial British term for a full brief: high-waisted, full seat coverage, usually made in cotton or a cotton blend. The style prioritises comfort and full coverage over any decorative element. It is the everyday workhorse of the category and the style most women own in the largest quantity.
What is the difference between knickers and knickerbockers?
Knickerbockers are baggy, knee-length trousers gathered at the knee, worn historically for golf, cycling, hiking, and still used in baseball uniforms. Knickers, in British English, is the term for women's underwear. Both words share the same root: knickers is a shortening of knickerbockers, and in the late nineteenth century women's knee-length undergarments borrowed the name. In Britain the word stayed with underwear; in America it stayed with the trousers.
Where does the word knickers come from?
Knickers is a shortening of knickerbockers, which took its name from Diedrich Knickerbocker, a fictional Dutch-American historian invented by Washington Irving for his 1809 satirical book A History of New York. Illustrations of the book depicted Dutch settlers in knee-length breeches, and by the mid-nineteenth century the surname had transferred to the trousers. Women's knee-length undergarments adopted the same name in the 1880s, and in Britain the word shortened to knickers.
What size knickers should I wear?
Follow the brand's size chart rather than assuming your dress or trouser size. Measure your hip circumference at the fullest point and your waist at the narrowest. British, American, and European sizing labels differ, so a British size 12 is not the same as a European 40 or a US 8. When between two sizes on a full-coverage style, size up for comfort. On a fitted style like a Brazilian or boyshort, size down to prevent riding up.
Which knickers are best under a fitted dress?
Under a fitted dress in jersey, silk, or satin, invisibility is the first concern. A seamless Brazilian in microfibre, a high-waist thong, or a boyshort with bonded edges give the flattest line. Avoid full briefs with folded-over elastic waistbands, which often show as a horizontal line across the hip. If the dress is looser or the fabric is heavier (crepe, wool, structured cotton) a full brief or midi brief works fine.
This guide is editorial. Cut, fit, and fabric preferences vary; the right knicker is the one that fits your body, your outfit, and your comfort priorities. Refer to each brand's size chart before ordering. Last reviewed: July 17, 2026.
