The wor culottes is of French language origin, and is the diminutive form of the word "cul," which means "backside," from the Latin "culus." Historically, the word "culottes" has always referred to the knee-breeches commonly worn by gentlemen of the European upper-classes from the late Middle Ages or Renaissance through the early 19th century. Culottes were normally closed and fastened about the leg, to the knee, by either buttons, a strap and buckle, or by a draw-string. During the French Revolution (late 18th century), the working-class revolutionaries were known as the "sans-culottes" (literally, "without culottes"), and derived their name from their preference for pantaloons rather than the upper-class culottes.