skivvy

or sciv·vy

[ skiv-ee ]

See synonyms for: skivvy skivvied skivvies skivvying on Thesaurus.com

noun,plural skiv·vies.Informal.

Also called skivvy shirt . a man's cotton T-shirt.
skivvies, underwear consisting of cotton T-shirt and shorts.

a thin sweater with a round neck, usually worn over a blouse, turtleneck, or the like.

Origin of skivvy

First recorded in 1925–30; origin uncertain

Words Nearby skivvy

Other definitions for skivvy (2 of 2)

skivvy²

[ skiv-ee ]

noun,plural skiv·vies.

a female servant, especially a chambermaid.

verb (used without object),skiv·vied, skiv·vy·ing.

to work as a skivvy.

Origin of skivvy

First recorded in 1910–15; origin uncertain

usage note For skivvy

This term is used with disparaging intent, implying the low rank of such a servant.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use skivvy in a sentence

Amazon says a better measure is body fat percentage, which it calculates by asking you to stand in front of your phone’s camera in your skivvies for a 360-degree photo shoot and then sending the shots to Amazon’s cloud for analysis.
Amazon’s new health band is the most invasive tech we’ve ever tested | Geoffrey Fowler, Heather Kelly | December 10, 2020 | Washington Post
It gets better: he also models the skivvy styles, in all of his ripped soccer star glory.
David Beckham Designs More Underwear, Karlie Kloss Gets A Haircut | The Fashion Beast Team | November 8, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
"I ain't no skivvy," he protests all the time, but every little odd job gets done.
A Diary Without Dates | Enid Bagnold
The servant is a servant, a "slavey," a "skivvy," a "Mary Jane."
The Labour-saving House | Dorothy Constance Bayliff Peel
Mrs. Tams was the general servant; what Louis occasionally called "the esteemed skivvy."
The Price of Love | Arnold Bennett

She that was waiting on you, she's got you to skivvy for her now!
Miss Million's Maid | Bertha Ruck
Suppose you send that goggle-eyed skivvy of yours on an errand.
The Postmaster's Daughter | Louis Tracy

British Dictionary definitions for skivvy (1 of 2)

skivvy¹

/ (ˈskɪvɪ) /

nounplural -vies

mainly British often derogatory a servant, esp a female, who does menial work of all kinds; drudge

verb-vies, -vying or -vied

(intr) British to work as a skivvy

Origin of skivvy

C20: of unknown origin

British Dictionary definitions for skivvy (2 of 2)

skivvy²

/ (ˈskɪvɪ) /

nounplural -vies

slang, mainly US a man's T-shirt or vest
(plural) slang, mainly US men's underwear

Australian and NZ a garment resembling a sweater with long sleeves and a polo neck, usually made of stretch cotton or cotton and polyester and worn by either sex

Origin of skivvy

of unknown origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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