gym shorts

noun

A type of relatively lightweight shorts with elastic waistbands designed for use in sports and physical activity, especially gym class. The terms basketball shorts and mesh shorts are used nearly synonymously with gym shorts in the United States, despite their different initial usage.

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Meanings

noungym shorts pl (plural only)
  1. pluralplural onlyA type of relatively lightweight shorts with elastic waistbands designed for use in sports and physical activity, especially gym class. The terms basketball shorts and mesh shorts are used nearly synonymously with gym shorts in the United States, despite their different initial usage.

Origin

gym (short for gymnastics) + shorts

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch (korte) turnbroek
  • (korte) turnbroek (je)type of shorts
German Turnhose
  • Turnhosetype of shorts
Cite this entry
APA

gym shorts. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gym%20shorts

MLA

“gym shorts.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gym%20shorts. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gym shorts,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gym%20shorts.

Source: gym shorts on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.