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

My youngest son has been wearing a No. 8 Ravens jersey since Jackson came into the league, rocking his plaits and winning games and MVP trophies with his legs as much as his arms. —Andrea Williams, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024

Pro Football Hall of Famer Cris Carter and former Vikings star Jake Reed walked onto the field holding up a Moss jersey. —Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 17 Dec. 2024

Related article Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss announces cancer battle Before Monday’s game, former Vikings receivers Chris Carter and Jake Reed showed support for their former teammate Randy Moss by holding up his #84 jersey during the coin toss at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. —Wayne Sterling, CNN, 17 Dec. 2024

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa opened his jersey from his high school tenure with the Saint Louis Crusaders and promptly put it on. —Danielle Jennings, People.com, 16 Dec. 2024

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