shirt
Americannoun
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a long- or short-sleeved garment for the upper part of the body, usually lightweight and having a collar and a front opening.
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an undergarment of cotton, or other material, for the upper part of the body.
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a shirtwaist.
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a nightshirt.
idioms
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in one's shirt sleeves, without a coat: Also in one's shirt-sleeves.
It was so hot that they worked in their shirt sleeves.
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lose one's shirt, to lose all that one possesses; suffer a severe financial reverse.
He lost his shirt in the stock market.
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keep one's shirt on, to refrain from becoming angry or impatient; remain calm.
Tell him to keep his shirt on until we're ready.
noun
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a garment worn on the upper part of the body, esp by men, usually of light material and typically having a collar and sleeves and buttoning up the front
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short for nightshirt undershirt
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informal refrain from losing your temper (often used as an exhortation to another)
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informal to bet all one has on (a horse, etc)
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informal to lose all one has on (a horse, etc)
Other Word Forms
- shirtless adjective
Etymology
Origin of shirt
before 1150; Middle English schirte, Old English scyrte; cognate with German Schürze, Dutch schort apron, Old Norse skyrta skirt
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.
The club held a minute applause for the teenager and a football shirt was signed in his memory.
From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026
Tousle-haired and clad in a checked shirt, Samay Raina half smiles on stage, as if a punchline is already poised at the edge of his lips.
From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026
His shirt listed five priorities, in order: Affordability, good experience, safety, peanuts, fan surveys.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026
Her shirt listed five priorities too, starting with “sell the team.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026
She’s wearing a frayed concert shirt and skintight blue jeans.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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.
