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Definition of sweatshirt
sweatshirt
/ˈswɛtˌʃɜːrt/
sweat · shirt
Plural:sweatshirts
sweatshirt Lexical Profile
CEFR
A2
Grade
3
Tier
1
Usage
Top 5k
sweatshirt Game Scores & Validity
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WWF
Wordle Guess
• noun
1
A loose, warm, long-sleeved pullover shirt, typically collarless and made of soft, absorbent cotton or fleece, worn for athletic activity or as casual apparel.
Example
"She pulled on a cozy gray sweatshirt before heading out for her morning jog in the crisp autumn air."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for sweatshirtWord Nuance & Usage
Often distinguished from a 'sweater', which is typically knitted from wool or synthetic yarns, whereas a sweatshirt is usually made of heavy cotton or fleece and associated with athletic or casual wear.
Word Origin & Etymology
Originated in the 1920s in the United States, combining 'sweat' and 'shirt', referring to the heavy cotton jerseys worn by athletes to absorb sweat and retain body heat before and after exercise.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Sweatshirt. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/sweatshirt