jersey

noun

jer·​sey ˈjər-zē 

plural jerseys

1

a

: any of various close-fitting usually circular-knitted garments especially for the upper body

b

: an often loose-fitting shirt that is worn by a member of a sports team as part of a team uniform and that typically has the athlete's name and number on the back

a football jersey

2

: a plain weft-knitted fabric made of wool, cotton, nylon, rayon, or silk and used especially for clothing

3

capitalized : any of a breed of small short-horned predominantly yellowish brown or fawn dairy cattle noted for their rich milk

Examples of jersey in a Sentence

The dress is made of cotton jersey.

Recent Examples on the Web

The snap featured a blue and white Toronto Maple Leafs jersey with Auston Matthews' number and also included a sweet message written across the jersey's numbers by the legendary player. —Kirsty Hatcher, People.com, 24 Feb. 2025

How to buy Team USA 4 Nations Face-Off hockey jersey, Team USA gear, shirt, hoodie, more Sleep in luxury with free white glove delivery and $400 off Saatva mattresses Join the club! —Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2025

There were fans dressed in Team U.S.A. jerseys and in clothing featuring the Stars and Stripes, and at least one wore a bald-eagle costume. —Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2025

There were two food trucks, spotless jerseys, polished cleats and so many cameras on the field and in the stands for the season opener Saturday at Corona High that anyone who wasn’t taking a photo looked out of place. —Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Jersey, one of the Channel Islands

First Known Use

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

jersey

noun

jer·​sey ˈjər-zē 

plural jerseys

1

: a plain knitted fabric

2

: a close-fitting knitted garment (as a shirt)

3

capitalized : any of a breed of small usually light tan dairy cattle having short horns and noted for their rich milk

Geographical Definition

Jersey

geographical name

Jer·​sey ˈjər-zē 

1

island in the English Channel; one of the Channel Islands; capital Saint Helier area 45 square miles (117 square kilometers)

Note: The Jersey breed of cattle, the knit fabric called jersey, and the types of upper-body garments called jerseys all derive their names from this island.

2

new jersey

—an informal name

Jerseyan

ˈjər-zē-ən 

noun

Jerseyite

ˈjər-zē-ˌīt 

noun