T-shirt

American  

[tee-shurt] / ˈtiˌʃɜrt /

Or tee-shirt,

noun

1. a lightweight, usually knitted, pullover shirt, close-fitting and with a round neckline and short sleeves, worn as an undershirt or outer garment.

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T-shirt British  

noun

1. a lightweight simple garment for the upper body, usually short-sleeved

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Etymology

Origin of T-shirt

First recorded in 1940–45; named from its shape

Example Sentences

For Helena Nicoleti, 8, who wore a T-shirt featuring a capybara drinking bubble tea to the zoo, seeing Kiwi was a highlight, along with the lion and the Mexican axolotl.

From Slate • May 27, 2026

Instead of selling a suite of diverse products, millennial brands focused on the “only” T-shirt, mattress or sauté pan you’ll ever need.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026

Swapping his usual T-shirt, jeans and sneakers for a dark suit and tie, OpenAI CEO and co-founder Sam Altman sat stone-faced in the front row of the Oakland courtroom for most of the proceedings.

From Barron's • May 18, 2026

Is every band just a T-shirt company now?

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

Once they’re around the corner and out of sight, I go up to the treehouse, where the T-shirt and sweats I lent Jonah are in the corner, neatly folded and smelling like his laundry detergent.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison

Related Words

• bodice
• pullover
• turtleneck