What does shirt mean?
A shirt is a garment worn on the upper body, usually with sleeves and often finished with a collar and buttons. It is one of the most common items of everyday clothing in both British and American English, ranging from practical work shirts and T-shirts to formal dress shirts worn with a tie. The word is broad enough to include simple undershirts and casual tops, although a blouse may be preferred for some dressier women's garments. In conversation, shirt can also function as an informal verb, as in “shirt yourself,” meaning to put on a shirt. Its long history helps explain its flexibility: the word now describes both the most ordinary items of clothing and garments associated with work, leisure, sport, or formal occasions.
A garment worn on the upper body, traditionally with sleeves, a collar, and buttons down the front.
"He buttoned his shirt before the interview."
A countable noun; the plural is shirts. The term is broad and can include casual or undershirt-like garments as well as formal shirts.
To put a shirt on or clothe someone in a shirt.
"The children quickly shirted themselves and went outside."
Informal and chiefly used in British English; less common in formal American usage.
The regular plural is shirts.
"The shirts were hanging on the clothesline."
The word 'shirt' comes from Old English and originally referred to a simple, close-fitting garment, so its basic meaning has remained remarkably stable for more than a thousand years.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does shirt come from?
The English word descends from Old English scyrte, used for a garment covering the torso. It continued through Middle English as shirt, with the modern form becoming established over time. The word belongs to a Germanic family that also includes skirt, while its relationship to short has traditionally been understood in terms of garment length and the Old English use of scyrte for a garment resembling a short tunic. The word's basic sense has remained broadly continuous, even as its range of modern uses expanded.
Related word forms
How shirt is actually used
The word is standard in both British and American English. In general use, a shirt is lighter and less formal than a jacket or coat, though the distinction varies by context.
Easily confused with shirt
A shirt is a general term for an upper-body garment, while a blouse is traditionally a woman's dressier shirt, usually with a more distinctive cut or decoration.
A top is a broader term for any garment worn over the upper body, whereas a shirt specifically suggests sleeves and often a collar or front fastening.