Definition of "denim"

The Mexican people want a cheaper grade of drillings, sheetings, denims, and other fabrics than are called for in our domestic markets, and purchase them in England because they can not be bought in the United States.

1889, William Eleroy Curtis, “The Commerce of Mexico”, in Trade and Transportation Between the United States and Spanish America, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, part first (Trade), chapter section “The cotton trade”, page 31

Fabrics: Gamine fabrics are informal as possible. For sports: tweeds, flannels, suedes, cottons, and denims;

1938, Omnibook, page 465

Indigo, a typical member of this group of dyes, is widely used on denims and other fabrics for work clothes because of its very low cost and excellent fastness to washing.

1946, United States Tariff Commission, Dyes: Prepared in Response to Requests from the Committee on Finance of the United States Senate and the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives (War Changes in Industry Series; Report No. 19), Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, page 25