wifebeater
Americannoun
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a man who beats his wife.
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Slang: Offensive. a white, sleeveless, close-fitting man’s undershirt, often worn as an outer shirt.
Etymology
Origin of wifebeater
First recorded in 1650–60 wifebeater for def. 1 and in 1990–95 wifebeater for def. 2; wife ( def. ) + beater ( def. )
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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.
Halfway through the performance, Gambino, sparkling his glittery wifebeater, took a moment to get vulnerable with the crowd.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 24, 2025
The wifebeater shirt can equally be a pinstripe suit.
From Washington Post • Feb. 7, 2018
He was wearing clothes the police had scrounged up for him at the station, this torn-up wifebeater that was way too small, pants so short on him they looked like capris.
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
He’s got on a wifebeater and shorts, which is so not Uncle Carlos, yet something about him still looks detectivey.
From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas
He’s in a wifebeater and pillow marks zigzag across his face.
From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
