jersey
noun
a close-fitting, knitted sweater or shirt.
jersey
1 American
[jur-zee]
/ ˈdʒɜr zi /
noun
jerseys
plural
-
a close-fitting, knitted sweater or shirt.
-
a plain-knit, machine-made fabric of wool, silk, nylon, rayon, etc., characteristically soft and elastic, used for garments.
-
(initial capital letter) one of a breed of dairy cattle, raised originally on the island of Jersey, producing milk with a high butterfat content.
Jersey
2
American
[jur-zee]
/ ˈdʒɜr zi /
noun
-
a British island in the English Channel: the largest of the Channel Islands. 44 sq. mi. (116 sq. km). St. Helier.
-
Informal. New Jersey.
jersey
1
British
/ ˈdʒɜːzɪ /
noun
-
a knitted garment covering the upper part of the body
-
-
a machine-knitted slightly elastic cloth of wool, silk, nylon, etc, used for clothing
-
( as modifier )
a jersey suit
-
-
a football shirt
Jersey
2
British
/ ˈdʒɜːzɪ /
noun
-
an island in the English Channel, the largest of the Channel Islands: forms, with two other islands, the bailiwick of Jersey; colonized from Normandy in the 11th century and still officially French-speaking; noted for finance, market gardening, dairy farming, and tourism. Capital: St Helier. Pop: 95 732 (2013 est). Area: 116 sq km (45 sq miles)
-
a breed of dairy cattle producing milk with a high butterfat content, originating from the island of Jersey
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of jersey
First recorded in 1575–85; after Jersey
Explanation
Jersey is the soft, stretchy fabric that is most often used to make T-shirts. Because they're usually made from this fabric, the tunic shirts that athletes wear are also called jerseys. Jersey is made from knitted cotton, wool, or synthetic material, and it's used for a lot of commercial clothing — everything from polo shirts to fancy dresses. The name comes from Jersey, a region of what's now the British Isles where jersey was first developed. The word was first used for athletic shirts in the 1840s.
Vocabulary lists containing jersey
American Football, 3rd Quarter
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Out Of Whole Cloth: Material Words
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Darius the Great Is Not Okay
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Prime Minister Mark Carney is an avid sports fan who owns what seems like a jersey for every occasion.
From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026
All he knew was that when “The Star-Spangled Banner” played at Lumen Field on Monday night, Balogun would be wearing a U.S. jersey.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 6, 2026
The 21-year-old was nervous and excited putting on the Lakers’ gold jersey Friday at Chase Center.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 4, 2026
But tonight, their team known as the "Albirroja" -- alluding to the blue and red of their jersey -- were kings.
From Barron's • Jun. 30, 2026
And under my jersey, I have on a long-sleeve shirt that reaches all the way to my bare feet.
From "A High Five for Glenn Burke" by Phil Bildner
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
