Jeans are trousers that are usually made of denim, a heavy, coarse cotton cloth with a diagonal weave. Jeans are made in a variety of styles and colors. Men, women, boys, and girls in almost every country wear jeans. The word jeans comes from Genes, the French word for Genoa, a port in Italy. In the Middle Ages, working men there wore sturdy cotton pants that were the forerunners of jeans.