What does nightshirt mean?
A nightshirt is a loose, usually long shirt worn in bed, traditionally as sleepwear. Unlike many modern pajamas, which consist of a top and matching bottoms, a nightshirt is a single garment designed to resemble an ordinary shirt while being comfortable for sleeping. The term has a traditional and slightly old-fashioned quality, which makes it particularly appropriate for describing vintage clothing, household routines, or classic sleepwear. In everyday use, pajamas and pajamas are usually more common, but nightshirt remains a clear and useful word when the garment’s one-piece, shirt-like form is important. Its meaning is primarily that of a garment for sleeping, though it can also refer more broadly to a long shirt worn while relaxing in bed.
nounA loose, usually long shirt worn in bed for sleeping. It is a traditional form of sleepwear, often distinguished from short-sleeved pajamas by its shirt-like cut.
- A long, loose shirt worn for sleeping or lounging in bed.
"She put on a clean nightshirt before going to bed."
"He was reading comfortably in a striped nightshirt."
"The traditional nightshirt was made of soft cotton and fastened down the front."
The regular plural is used when referring to multiple nightshirts.
"The shop sells cotton nightshirts and other sleepwear."
A nightshirt is sleepwear with a familiar, old-fashioned charm: part pajamas, part ordinary shirt.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does nightshirt come from?
Nightshirt is a modern English compound formed from the Old English words for night and shirt. The word night ultimately relates to Latin nox, while shirt descends from Old English scyrte. The compound developed in the context of household clothing and sleepwear, with its exact first-attested date not being essential to its meaning or modern usage.
How nightshirt is actually used
Nightshirt is a traditional and somewhat old-fashioned term. It is less common than pajamas in contemporary American English but remains readily understood; British and American speakers may use it more readily in descriptions of household clothing, vintage garments, or hotel sleepwear.