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

In the past, Kaepernick’s protest and countless other incidents have prompted reactionary vows to boycott the league, along with the ritualistic burning of team jerseys and other merchandise. —Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2025

His two sons wore Mexican soccer jerseys on Monday night, while his oldest daughter donned a traditional dress. —Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 16 Sep. 2025

These jerseys are now available to the fans and can be ordered in generic style, by specific player, or with a custom name and number. —Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025

There is a limit of five free items per check and the deal requires purchase of an entrée of equal or greater value and may be collected only by the jersey-wearing customer in person, according to the restaurant chain. —Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2025

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