undershirt n : a collarless men's undergarment for the upper part of the body [syn: singlet, vest]

English

Noun

1. an upper undergarment with no collar, and with short or no sleeves, worn next to the skin under a shirt; a singlet or (British) a vest

Translations

• Finnish: aluspaita
• German: Unterhemd
• Polish: podkoszulek
• Russian: майка

An undershirt is an article of underwear worn underneath a shirt. This is to protect the dress shirt from sweat and smells. The term most commonly refers to upper-body wear worn by males.

Factory mass produced undershirts became common in the West in the early 20th century, with innovations turning the union suit into two pieces, for upper and lower body.

By the late 20th century, some of these garments originally intended to be worn under other clothing came to be worn as the sole top garment while their use as an undergarment became rare and unusual.

Types of undershirts

• A-shirt
• T-shirt

See also

• Camisole
• Chemise
• Halterneck
• Sleeveless shirt