Definition

A college athlete who does not participate in official competitions for a year to prolong their eligibility to play in future seasons.

Example

The coach decided to redshirt the freshman player to give him more time to develop his skills.

Conversation

Did you hear about Jake? He decided to redshirt this season.

Yeah, I heard that! It makes sense for him to extend his eligibility.

I think it's a smart move, especially with his injury last year.

Definitely! He'll come back stronger and ready to play.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Redshirt → The word is formed from "red" (from Old English "read", meaning the color red) and "shirt" (from Old English "scyrte", meaning a garment worn on the upper body). The term "redshirt" refers to a shirt that is red in color, often associated with a specific context such as sports or military uniforms.

Memory Tip

Think of the color 'red' and a 'shirt' worn on the upper body — a redshirt is simply a shirt that is red.

Visually Confused Words