variants
or shortie
plural shorties
1
informal
: someone or something that is short
… a wand helps shorties like me water overhead flowers.—Vicky Sanderson
… I'm a bit of a shorty (at 5-foot-7) and Jonathan is quite tall (6 feet) …—Luke Dimyan, quoted in USA Today
Soda makers give buyers everything from 7-ounce shorties to 2 liter bottles …—Perry White
She currently lives with her horses and a Jack Russell shorty named "Ritzy."—pr.com
… the hems … let you adjust how tight they are—a feature I appreciate as a shortie, since I can cinch them up if I don't want them to drag on the ground …—Louryn Strampe
2
or shawty
plural shawties slang
b
: a romantic partner
especially
: a female romantic partner
… I'm just saving up a couple of dollars to get a crib right now. Somewhere to live for me and my shorty. —Kobra [rapper], quoted in GQ
… that's my girl, like don't mess with her … That's my shorty … —unidentified speaker, quoted in Corpus of Regional African American Language
One user @KidIncognito_ commented on the video, saying: 'I can't wait for me and my shawty to have our first apartment/house together so we can come together and decorate it.' —Shirley Donlon and Isabella Nikolic
Note: Sense 2 originated in African American English and was popularized by rap and hip-hop music. It has since become widespread.
Cite this Entry
“Shorty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shorty. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.
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