What is the origin of the word 'knickers'?

Question

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - A vicar has come to the rescue of a small New Zealand town that has run out of women's underwear.

A group of women at the local Anglican church revealed the crisis caused by the only clothing shop in the small town of Inglewood, about 280 km (175 miles) north west of the capital Wellington, no longer stocking women's underwear.

"Someone came up with the point that it was a bit difficult that ladies essentials were not able to be bought in Inglewood," Reverend Gary Husband told National Radio.

"So we're going to have what's been called a knickers run."

Answer 1

Trousers (or pants or knickers in Australia, Canada, South Africa and the U.S., and sometimes called slacks or breeches — often pronounced /bɹɪtʃɪz/ — in more old-fashioned usage) is an item of clothing worn on the lower part of the body, covering both legs separately (rather than with cloth stretching across both as in skirts and dresses). Historically, as for the West, trousers have been the standard lower-body clothing item for males since the 16th century; by the late 20th century, they had become extremely prevalent for females as well. Trousers are worn at the hips or waist, and may be held up by their own fastenings, a belt, or suspenders (braces). Leggings are form-fitting trousers of a clingy material, often knitted cotton and lycra.


Terminology
In North America, pants is the general category term, and trousers refers, often more formally, specifically to tailored garments with a waistband and (typically) belt-loops and a fly-front. For instance, informal elastic-waist knitted garments would never be called trousers in the U.S. Undergarments are called underwear, underpants, or panties (the last of women's garments specifically) to distinguish them from other pants that are worn on the outside. The term drawers normally refers to undergarments, but in some dialects, may be found as a synonym for "breeches", that is, trousers. In these dialects, the term underdrawers is used for undergarments.

In Australia, both the terms pants and trousers are synonymous with each other.

In the United Kingdom, trousers is the general category term, and pants refers to underwear.

In Scotland, trousers are generally known as trews from the early Middle English trouse, its plural developed into trousers

Answer 2

Old fashioned knickers had pockets in them and ladies used to keep their valuables there, as it was VERY hard for a pickpocket to get at them! Maybe that's where it comes from?

Answer 3

Highwaters.