Chaps (IPAEng: ʃæps, tʃæps) are sturdy coverings for the legs consisting of leggings and a belt. They are buckled on over trousers with the chaps' integrated belt, but unlike trousers they have no seat and are not joined at the crotch. They are designed to provide protection for the legs and are usually made of leather or a leather-like material. They are most commonly associated with cowboy culture of the American west, as a protective garment to be used when riding a horse through brushy terrain. In the modern world, they are worn for both practical work purposes and for exhibition or show use.

History

The word chaps is a clip of chaparejos or chaparreras,Simpson, J.A., Weiner, E.S.C. (prepared by). Oxford English Dictionary, vol. III (Chan-creeky). Oxford:Clarendon Press, Oxford University Press, 2nd Edition, 1989, 2000 reprint, pp. 24 and 28. ISBN 0-19-861215-X (Vol. III only), ISBN 0-19-861186-2 (set)
Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary Web page accessed 14 APR 08
Multiple definitions and etymologies of chaps Web page accessed March 10, 2008 which are Mexican Spanish words for this garment, ultimately derived from Spanish chaparro,Vocabulario Vaquero p. 52-54.
Grolier's Academic American Encyclopedia
New Encyclopedia Brittanica
Spanglish: The Making of a New American Language
The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
The History of Basque
Diccionario de la Lengua Española
1 one sense of which is a low growing thicket--difficult to ride through without damage to clothing. In English, the word has two common pronunciations: 2 and 3. Since at least the end of the 19th century, in the western United States and Canada, English-speaking riders have tended to pronounce the word 4. This pronunciation is also used among rodeo riders in New Zealand. English-speaking riders in the eastern United States and Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom have tended to pronounce the word 5.Cassidy, Frederic G., ed. Dictionary of American Regional English, vol. I. Cambridge/London:Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1985 ISBN 0-674-20511-1 (vol I)