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

That was hammered home rather emphatically when the fans in attendance threw jerseys on the ice and booed the Leafs off of it repeatedly, two home games in a row. —James Mirtle, New York Times, 19 May 2025

Mariners fans showed flair, too. Props to the fan Sunday who wore a Mariners jersey honoring Gaylord Perry. —Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 May 2025

At the first Grand Slam Track meet, on a line that saw his competitors littered with Nike and Adidas jerseys, Beard beamed in bright blue, the Sam’s Club logo etched in the top right corner of his top. —Cory Mull, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025

These unique jerseys should be a massive hit with the fans, not only for their great appearance, but also because of the Green Monster's popularity. —Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 May 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