skivvy

noun skiv·vy \ ˈski-vē \

Updated on: 21 Mar 2018

Definition of skivvy

plural skivvies

British

: a female domestic servant

See skivvy defined for English-language learners

Examples of skivvy in a Sentence

I'm tired of being treated like a skivvy.
the pop star's image as a working-class hero strains credulity now that he owns a large estate with an army of cooks, butlers, and skivvies to attend to his every want

Recent Examples of skivvy from the Web

These scientifically sound skivvies tend to come, naturally, with high price tags.

— jacob gallagher, WSJ, "The Best Men’s Underwear for Your Budget: We Tested 45 Kinds," 6 Mar. 2018
Nice to know someone’s sustaining the satiny-skivvies industry.

— carolyn hax, idahostatesman, "Boyfriend wears ladies’ lingerie and friend is freaked out | Idaho Statesman," 7 Feb. 2018
And, of course, stripping down to your skivvies in front of 10 million people watching you prance around in towering heels on TV.

— jessica pels, Marie Claire, "What It Feels Like to Walk Your First Victoria's Secret Show, According to Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid," 10 Nov. 2015
The message of the play’s title is delivered late in the production when all five strip down to their skivvies to exhibit their mostly plus-size physiques.

— tom titus, Daily Pilot, "Comedy at Costa Mesa Playhouse touches on plight of undocumented women," 8 Sep. 2017
The trunks are less, well, less—the running trend in men's skivvies today—and more of a nod to the underwear classic in it's purest form.

— GQ, "The 16 Best New Menswear Brands to Buy Right Now," 2 Sep. 2017
Well, now you can be seen in your skivvies — briefly — in a decent, thoroughly sanctioned event.

— angela hill, The Mercury News, "Let’s be brief: Cupid’s Undie Run bares (almost) all this weekend," 14 Feb. 2017
A gym membership can be just like that, but without the benefit of having a place to stow your skivvies.

— teddy drimonis, USA TODAY, "12 questions to ask before you join a gym," 13 June 2017
The men stripped down to their skivvies — the better to show off their bodies — for the battle.

— hal boedeker, OrlandoSentinel.com, "'Bachelorette': Firefighter earns wrestling glory," 6 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'skivvy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of skivvy

origin unknown

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1902

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SKIVVY Defined for English Language Learners

skivvy

noun

Definition of skivvy for English Language Learners

: a female servant who does work that is dirty and unpleasant

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skivvy

Definition of skivvy

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Origin and Etymology of skivvy

SKIVVY Defined for English Language Learners

skivvy

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skivvy

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SKIVVY Defined for English Language Learners

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