Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “shirt” come from?

Shirt comes from Middle English sherten, formed with the Middle English verb suffix -en from Old English -en, itself derived from Proto-Germanic jainaz meaning "short," which traces to Proto-Indo-European i- and en.

shirt (English): An article of clothing that is worn on the upper...

Definitions

  1. An article of clothing that is worn on the upper...

Ancestry of “shirt”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishschirteAlternative form of sherte
2Old Englishsċyrtea short garment; skirt; kirtle
3Proto-West Germanicskurtijā—
4Proto-Germanicskurtijǭskirt, apron

Words derived from “shirt”

  • sweatshirt
  • undershirt
  • nightshirt
  • shirtless
  • shirted
  • shirtwaist
  • shirtfront
  • shirttail
  • shirting
  • shirty
  • redshirt
  • overshirt
  • hairshirt
  • Blueshirt
  • workshirt
  • shirtmaker
  • blackshirt
  • shirtdress
  • shirtmaking
  • unshirted
  • shirtlike
  • undershirted
  • sleepshirt
  • shirtwaisted
Every word from Proto-Germanic skurtijǭ →