nightshirt

American  

[nahyt-shurt] / ˈnaɪtˌʃɜrt /

noun

1. a loose shirtlike garment reaching to the knees or lower, for wearing in bed.

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nightshirt British  

/ ˈnaɪtˌʃɜːt /

noun

1. a loose knee-length or longer shirtlike garment worn in bed by men

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Etymology

Origin of nightshirt

First recorded in 1840–50; night + shirt

Example Sentences

A figure was moving across the yard, the white of its nightshirt catching the moonlight.

From Literature

Then here came the tailors for Mr. Cranston’s frock coat and morning coat and striped trousers and silk nightshirts with his initials sewed on.

From Literature

An analyst for Public Health – Seattle & King County, wearing a nightshirt, she went into “emergency management mode,” she said, checking his vital signs and trying to clear his airways.

From Seattle Times

Augustus Seward, dressed in his nightshirt, raced to his father’s room and saw the shadows of two men fighting.

From Literature

He ran, his white nightshirt disappearing into the darkness.

From Literature

Related Words

• lingerie
• pajamas