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

Boise State football head coach Spencer Danielson confirmed Monday afternoon that redshirt junior starting quarterback Maddux Madsen will not be available for the Broncos’ trip to San Diego State this weekend. —Idaho Statesman, 10 Nov. 2025

The redshirt sophomore slowed up to force contact with a trailing Ewin near midcourt and later flung his body on Ewin’s screen for an offensive whistle. —Matt Byrne, Arkansas Online, 9 Nov. 2025

Now, Lewis has officially lost his redshirt status, with just two games left in a lost season. —Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 9 Nov. 2025

Nor had the Wildcats met a walk-on like King Miller, the redshirt freshman running back who continued to do the work of the two injured scholarship stars in front of him, on Friday running for 90 yards on nine first-half carries. —Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 8 Nov. 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