redshirt

The story

1. Italian · calque ofcamicia rossa
2. English todayredshirt

Calque of Italian camicia rossa, equivalent to red + shirt. In later senses with reference to the uniforms or outfits worn by such people. The fandom slang sense emerged from the tendency of red-uniformed Starfleet officers to die in episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series.

First known use, by meaning

• from 19th c. A supporter of the Italian nationalist leader Giuseppe Garibaldi, especially a member of his thousand-man army which conquered Sicily.
• from 19th c. A revolutionary or anarchist.
• from 20th c. A college athlete who spends a year not participating in official athletic activities, but does not lose his or her eligibility to participate in following years.