jersey

noun

jer·​sey ˈjər-zē How to pronounce jersey (audio)
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 Former Oiler Klim Kostin was spotted in the stands with his old No. 21 Oilers jersey draped over his shoulder. Curtis Pashelka, The Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2024 Both Clark’s and fellow WNBA rookie Angel Reese’s jerseys have sold out, so, yes, there's definitely a market for shoes branded by women athletes. Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 23 Apr. 2024 The adorable carousel shows Billy appearing to kick the camera with a soft smile in the first photo and standing in a Lakers jersey with a basketball tucked under his arm in the second. Ashlyn Needham, Peoplemag, 22 Apr. 2024 She is even attributed with boosting sales of Kelce's jersey. Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2024 Players wear Jackie’s famous No. 42 on the back of their jerseys in honor of the man who broke the color barrier in American professional sports 77 years ago in 1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Melissa Noel, Essence, 18 Apr. 2024 The show's first day will see an appearance by former Detroit Red Wings player Vladimir Konstantinov, with $40 trading cards, $50 flats, pucks or jerseys, $100 for a multi-signed item and $40 photo opportunities. Jenna Prestininzi, Detroit Free Press, 18 Apr. 2024 As a gift, the chef gave the couple a jersey, ball and Argentine flag, all signed by Messi. Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2024 In the wake of the lawsuit against him three decades ago, many of Simpson’s possessions, including footballs, jerseys and other sports memorabilia, were seized from his Brentwood estate in California to pay off the judgment. Erik Ortiz, NBC News, 14 Apr. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jersey.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Jersey, one of the Channel Islands

First Known Use

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of jersey was in 1587

Dictionary Entries Near jersey

Cite this Entry

“Jersey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jersey. Accessed 1 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

jersey

noun
jer·​sey ˈjər-zē How to pronounce jersey (audio)
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 How to pronounce Jersey (audio)
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 noun
Jerseyite noun

More from Merriam-Webster on jersey

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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