shirt
Americannoun
-
shirts
plural
-
a long- or short-sleeved garment for the upper part of the body, usually lightweight and having a collar and a front opening.
-
an undergarment of cotton, or other material, for the upper part of the body.
-
a shirtwaist.
-
a nightshirt.
idioms
-
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.
-
lose one's shirt, to lose all that one possesses; suffer a severe financial reverse.
He lost his shirt in the stock market.
-
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
-
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
-
short for nightshirt undershirt
-
informal refrain from losing your temper (often used as an exhortation to another)
-
informal to bet all one has on (a horse, etc)
-
informal to lose all one has on (a horse, etc)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
See Examples For:
She and her friends get a personalized shirt made for every show.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
This was a public course with a casual vibe, but it still had a handful of rules including: You must wear a collared shirt.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
I wasn’t wearing a T-shirt—it was more like a poly-blend athletic shirt which makes me look like someone who once walked past a yoga studio without going inside.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
It took Rogers only seven minutes to score his first goal in a Chelsea shirt as he reacted quickest after Alex Remiro saved Joao Pedro's initial header.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
Nor did he suffer as Father, using a torn shirt, bandaged him.
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Shein has been successful in enticing customers with its extremely affordable offerings, such as shirts for under $2 and dresses for less than $3.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026
Suzanne and Jim Moller, who wore “Fight On” Trojan shirts for the event, flew in from Chicago to see their son, Keith, move into his dorm and enroll at the Marshall School of Business.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
Adjusted for inflation, that would be about $115, which is around the same price the shirts cost today.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
Those still open tend to have generators, menus priced in dollars and a clientele of well-connected Cubans, decked in salmon shirts and tassel loafers.
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
The boys are in khaki pants, white shirts, striped ties, and the same blazers.
From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein
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.
