jersey
- 1A shirt worn by a member of a sports team, typically showing the player's name and number and the team's logo.
Fans in the front row were wearing the star quarterback's jersey.
The club will retire his number 23 jersey at Friday's game.
UsageOften with a player's name or number before it: a Haaland jersey, his number 23 jersey.
Similarshirt
Note
Americans call a team shirt a jersey; British speakers usually say shirt, and Australian rules football says guernsey. A player's name or number often comes first, as in a Haaland jersey or a number 23 jersey. It shares its origin with the knitted woolen garment, a fisherman's sweater named after the island.
- 2New Jersey, the US state, especially in phrases such as North Jersey and South Jersey.
She grew up in North Jersey and still roots for the New York teams.
Traffic on the turnpike was backed up all the way into Jersey.
UsageAlone, Jersey is casual; formal writing uses New Jersey for the state. North Jersey and South Jersey are common in writing too.
Note
After north or south it names a region rather than the whole state, so North Jersey and South Jersey work almost as place names of their own.
- 3A type of knitted fabric.
The designer cut the wrap dress from a fluid silk jersey.
Cotton jersey is a popular choice for T-shirts and pajamas.
UsageOften with the fiber before it or the item after it: cotton jersey, a jersey dress.
- 4An island in the English Channel off the coast of France, the largest of the Channel Islands and a self-governing British Crown Dependency, not part of the United Kingdom.
Many banks and trust companies keep offices in Jersey because of its low taxes.
On a clear day the French coast is visible from Jersey.
UsageTo an American, Jersey alone often means New Jersey; say the island of Jersey when it could be unclear.
Note
The Second World War left an unusual mark here: Oliver Bullough's Moneyland (2018) calls Jersey perhaps the only place in Europe that had the same government before, during and after Nazi occupation.
Less common meanings
- 5A knitted woolen garment worn on the upper part of the body.
The fishermen wore heavy wool jerseys against the cold spray.
She bought a cream jersey with a cable pattern down the front.
UsageClose to sweater, pullover, or jumper; say a wool jersey when it could be taken for a team shirt.
Similarsweater, jumper, pullover
Note
The garment takes its name from the island of Jersey, where a knitted wool sweater of this kind was the typical fisherman's wear. Sweater, pullover and jumper are close equivalents. Because the word also names a sports team's shirt, speakers often say a wool jersey when the knitted garment is meant.
- 6A breed of dairy cattle originally from the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands.
Breeders prize the Jersey for the high butterfat content of its milk.
The dairy switched from Holsteins to Jersey cows to make richer ice cream.
UsageUsually written with a capital J: a Jersey, Jersey cows, Jersey cattle.
- 7An earldom in the English peerage, whose holder is styled Earl of Jersey.
Showing meanings only.
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Origins
From Middle English Gersey, from Anglo-Norman Gersui, whose further origin is disputed. It probably comes from an Old Norse compound of Geirs ("Geirr's") + ey ("island"), though it has also been connected with Latin Caesarea, a name given to places conquered by the Romans in honor of Caesar.
Checked 6 Nov 2026 · 4 facts
- The name comes through Middle English Gersey and Anglo-Norman Gersui; its further origin is disputed. en.wiktionary.org
- The probable origin is an Old Norse compound of Geirs, meaning Geirr's, and ey, meaning island. en.wiktionary.org
- The name has also been connected with Latin Caesarea. en.wikipedia.org
- Caesarea was a name given to places conquered by the Romans in honor of Caesar. en.wiktionary.org
Named after the island of Jersey, where fishermen wore a typical knitted sweater of this kind.
Checked 6 Nov 2026 · 2 facts
- The word jersey is named after the island of Jersey. vam.ac.uk
- Fishermen on Jersey wore a typical knitted sweater of this kind. en.wiktionary.org