speedos

English

Alternative forms

• Speedos

Etymology

From Speedos (“trademark of the Speedo company”), which has become a generic name.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

speedos

1. plural of speedo
2. (Canada, US, Australia, New Zealand, usually in the plural) A men′s tight fitting brief swimsuit.
   • 1979, Kent Pearson, Surfing Subcultures of Australia and New Zealand, University of Queensland Press, page 118:

     For example, board riders paid more attention to appearances (short hair v long hair, speedos v board shorts) and conspicuous behavior (surfing for training rather than for fun or to express oneself), than life savers.

   • 2000 July, Ian Jack (editor), Granta, Issue 70: Australia: The New New World, →ISBN, page 42,

     I remember my mother standing exasperated in the rain with the brolly over her head at dusk while I frog-kicked around in my speedos.

   • 2006, Margaret Henderson, Marking Feminist Times: Remembering the Longest Revolution in Australia, page 212:

     Their club is Manly, and this word is emblazoned across the back of their speedos.

Synonyms

• (swimming briefs): See also Thesaurus:swim briefs.

Anagrams

• deposes, despose, seposed