tank top

noun

a close-fitting, low-cut top having shoulder straps and often made of lightweight, knitted fabric.

Origin of tank top

First recorded in 1945–50

Also called tank.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

British Dictionary definitions for tank top

tank top

noun

a sleeveless upper garment with wide shoulder straps and a low neck, usually worn over a shirt, blouse, or jumper

Word Origin for tank top

C20: named after tank suits, one-piece bathing costumes of the 1920s worn in tanks or swimming pools

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

Word Origin and History for tank top

1968, from tank suit "one-piece bathing costume" (1920s), so called because it was worn in a swimming tank (n.), i.e. pool.