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 jerseys are just the beginning of a story that’s bound to inspire both fans and athletes. —Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 5 Dec. 2024

Jack Carlson, author of Rowing Blazers A Lover’s Guide to Football Shirts by Neal Heard A brilliant book on football (soccer) shirts in the style of the best Japanese menswear magazines by my friend Neal Heard, the Lover’s Guide looks at the jerseys from an aesthetic and design perspective. —Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 4 Dec. 2024

In the surprise promotional video, the pianist is seen chilling with a band all rocking New Orleans Saints football jerseys. —Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 2 Dec. 2024

The baby-blue jerseys inspired by the Cleveland Museum of Art are perfect for basketball season and summer, suns-out-guns-out time. —Troy Smith, Axios, 2 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