T-shirt

noun

ˈtē-ˌshərt How to pronounce T-shirt (audio)
variants or less commonly tee shirt
: a collarless short-sleeved or sleeveless usually cotton undershirt
also : an outer shirt of similar design
T-shirted
ˈtē-ˌshər-təd How to pronounce T-shirt (audio)
adjective

Examples of T-shirt in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Few things help beat the heat more than a strapless neckline, which frees up your underarms from being trapped in a hot T-shirt. — Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 1 July 2026 But from then on, Nolte was never late and showed up every day in the same outfit — a trench coat, T-shirt, sweats and Nike turf shoes — with a notebook in hand. — Cj Moore, New York Times, 1 July 2026 Its older sister Gap, too, is celebrating the nation’s 250th with half-off shorts, T-shirts, and swimwear. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 2 July 2026 Paltrow wore a black, strapless gown and buckled slippers, while Martin sported a two-tone brown-and-blue sweater over a white T-shirt, with brown corduroy pants and a stylishly thin belt. — Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for T-shirt

Word History

First Known Use

1920, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of T-shirt was in 1920

Rhymes for T-shirt

See All Rhymes for T-shirt

Browse Nearby Words

Tshiluba
T-shirt
Tshisekedi (Tshilombo)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“T-shirt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/T-shirt. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

T-shirt

noun
variants also tee shirt
ˈtē-ˌshərt
1
: a cotton undershirt with short sleeves and no collar
2
: a jersey outer shirt designed like a T-shirt
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All