singlet

American  

[sing-glit] / ˈsɪŋ glɪt /

noun

1. a sleeveless athletic jersey, especially a loose-fitting top worn by runners, joggers, etc.

2. a single unit; an unpaired or separate item.

3. Chiefly British. a man's undershirt or jersey.

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singlet British  

/ ˈsɪŋɡlɪt /

noun

1. a man's sleeveless undergarment covering the body from the shoulders to the hips

2. Also called (in Britain): vest.  a similar sleeveless garment worn as outerwear

3. a garment worn with shorts by athletes, boxers, etc

4. a black woollen outer garment worn by bushmen

5. physics a multiplet that has only one member

6. chem a chemical bond consisting of one electron

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Etymology

Origin of singlet

First recorded in 1740–50; single + -et

Example Sentences

This structure is capable of producing both hydroxyl radicals and singlet oxygen, increasing its cancer-fighting potential.

From Science Daily • Mar. 1, 2026

"It's so exciting to get to play," he smiles, his team's name – Spiked and Served – emblazoned on his singlet.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026

She’s Taylor Swift with a jump shot, Mia Hamm in a singlet; a figure so transcendent she is changing her profession.

From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2024

The singlet was not particularly radical: layered shades of white and Columbia’s signature shade, Pantone 292.

From Salon • Apr. 22, 2024

His sweaty singlet clung to his body and she noticed, for the first time, how much weight he had lost, how shrunken his chest looked.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie