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

Central to the sponsorship, CVS will become LOVB’s inaugural league-wide jersey patch sponsor, with the CVS logo featured on the front of jerseys across every LOVB Pro team beginning with the upcoming season. — Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 4 Sep. 2026

Yung Miami paired the shoes with the Loewe dress featuring a cream jersey bodice with contrast sleeves, a vibrant red trim, and an asymmetric navy handkerchief hem. — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2026

Atlanta’s seven-year, $28 million deal is believed to be the richest jersey sponsorship in women’s sports, an especially notable benchmark considering the club will not begin NWSL play until 2028. — Asli Pelit, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Running back Bijan Robinson, right guard Chris Lindstrom, linebacker Divine Deablo, safety Jessie Bates III and kicker Nick Folk will sport the captain patch on their jerseys this fall. — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 3 Sep. 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