Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

shorty

American  
[shawr-tee] / ˈʃɔr ti /
Or shortie

noun

  • shorties
    plural
  1. a person of less than average stature (sometimes used as a disparaging and offensive term of address).

  2. a garment designed to be of short length, as a hospital bed jacket.

  3. Slang. Also shawty

    1. a girl or woman.

      We watched the shorties on the dance floor, all lookin' so fine.

    2. a girlfriend or sweetheart.

      Me and my shorty went to that new club over on Ninth last night; what a scene!


adjective

  1. noting a garment designed to be of short length.

    a shorty nightgown; shorty pajamas.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms


Etymology

Origin of shorty

First recorded in 1905–10; short + -y 2


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:

The red dot disappeared from the map, only for another to pop up shorty after.

From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026

He was released shorty after and his court hearing is scheduled for Sept. 21.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026

Scotland got on the board with a penalty from player of the match Helen Nelson and looked to have taken the lead shorty after from a five metre lineout.

From BBC ● Mar. 22, 2025

Huff didn’t feel comfortable there and shorty after training camp opened in 1956, he got fed up and left.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 13, 2021

LeAlan: Why you trying to serve if you only a shorty?

From "Our America: Life and Death on the South Side of Chicago" by LeAlan Jones

But, he added, referring to “Long Way Down,” “my shorties, my kids, my family, they read it, and they know exactly what this book is about.”

From New York Times ● Oct. 28, 2019

“We didn’t expect to get two shorties, but when you force people and they turn the puck over like they did tonight we’re going to get chances,” Kesler said.

From Washington Times ● Oct. 27, 2016

She body-boards 3-footers in shorties breaking over a sandbar off the southern Massachusetts coast.

From Salon ● Dec. 21, 2012

With the U.K. games looming we shorties are scanning the horizon for future sporty munchkin role models.

From Slate ● Jul. 19, 2012

I mean with them cutting off welfare, a lot of these shorties are going to be even more messed up.

From "Our America: Life and Death on the South Side of Chicago" by LeAlan Jones

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember new words for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com