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

Jersey : 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

Soccer jerseys from Argentina were flooding the scene, with occasional Mexico, USA and other fans repping their fallen teams. — Zuri Primos july 12, Kansas City Star, 12 July 2026

Locals have spotted groups of people in Korea jerseys huddled together, trying to decide what to order at In-N-Out. — Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026

There’s been a resurgence in vintage novelty t-shirts, merch tops, and of course, soccer jerseys, and bigger t-shirts just give you more room to signal your tastes, your interests, your team. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 11 July 2026

Some had already thrown on their blue jerseys, while others were placing their bets on which team would win. — Delia Rose Sauer, Miami Herald, 11 July 2026

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