redshirt

noun

red·​shirt ˈred-ˌshərt 

: a college athlete who is kept out of varsity competition for a year in order to extend eligibility

redshirt verb

Examples of redshirt in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

With longtime Penn State starting quarterback Drew Allar out for the season with an injury, redshirt freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer directed a 16-play, fourth-quarter drive that chewed up 8 minutes and 21 seconds and pushed Penn State’s advantage to five points. —Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025

The redshirt sophomore has great size for the QB position, a live arm and the mobility to pick up chunks of yardage on the ground (284 rushing yards in 2025). —Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2025

Chambliss produced 31 tackles in his first six games as a redshirt freshman with the Aztecs last year before his body began to betray him. —Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Oct. 2025

Per Pete Thamel of ESPN, the Red Raiders will ask redshirt freshman Will Hammond to make his first career start on Saturday as senior quarterback Behren Morton battles a leg injury. —Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

from the red jersey commonly worn by such a player in practice scrimmages against the regulars

First Known Use

1955, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for redshirt

• alert
• assert
• avert
• dessert
• divert
• evert
• exert
• inert
• insert
• invert
• nightshirt
• overt