shorty

plural shorties · alternative shortie · alternative shawtie · alternative shawty

1. derogatoryinformalsometimesSomething or someone that is shorter than normal.

   A rock fishing expedition doesn't involve a lot of paraphernalia. Mick had brought his short rod with the overhead style, egg-beater reel they use off boats. 'The shorty's good for the fight.'

   2001 December 2, Rhidian Brook, “On the rocks”, in The Observer, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 06 Dec 2025

2. informalA term of endearment for a child, younger sibling, shorter person, etc.
3. slangchiefly African-American VernacularA child.

   "I think we loved 'The Bridge Is Over' more than anybody else," says Nas, who was just a shorty when he first heard the opening shot.

   1995, Vibe, page 102

   3 more examples

   Like one day when I was just a shorty my mother was drinking a beer and a policeman told her to pour it out. He was way too little to be saying that to my mother. No way I was going to let him put handcuffs on her.

   1997, William Ayers, A kind and just parent: the children of juvenile court, Beacon Pr

   Ever since they introduced the world to Patrick Ewing and Michael Graham, Georgetown has been the Black school of choice for every shorty …

   1997, Robert Jackson, The Darkside: Chronicling the Young Black Experience, Noble Press Incorporated

   “Girl when I was just a shorty, some cats from New York came through putting down there work and muscling anybody too weak for the streets, but anyway they shot my oldest brother, who was alright with Ju and them.

   2012, Julius B. Black, Married To The Game, AuthorHouse, →ISBN, page 13

4. slangchiefly African-American VernacularAn attractive young female, especially one who is sexually available.

   "It wasn't that fine ass shorty I saw in the car earlier?" Travis inquired.

   2015, Ashon Thadon, Unpunished: some deeds go that way, BookRix, →ISBN

   4 more examples

   I guarantee, shorty, it's real, baby, stick it out / [...] / You talk a good one, shorty, now you're makin' me sweat

   1996, “Doin' It”, in Mr. Smith, performed by LL Cool J

   But seeing my boy on the cover of your magazine with three fine shorties made me think twice about the assumptions I've made.

   1999, Vibe

   “Yo, man,” Vincent looked up at Sharif. “How is it that you always have the fine shorties hanging out at your crib?”

   2006, Karen E. Quinones Miller, Uptown Dreams, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 38

   Shawty I can see that you got so much energy, / The way you twirling up them hips round and round

   2008, “Just Dance”, in The Fame, performed by Lady Gaga ft. Colby O'Donis

5. slangchiefly African-American VernacularA girlfriend.

   My shorty called my baby moms, I'm in some shit, and all my real gear at shorty crib.

   2012, Edd Mcnair, Turning Point, Urban Books, →ISBN, page 42

   5 more examples

   These are the things that separate a date from a fiancee, a shorty from a wife, a one-night stand from a lifetime commitment.

   2003, Ebony, page 34

   Demarco said pulling down his cap “Yeah, that's what I be hearing, my shorty told me how Shelly be bragging about the time ya'll had.”

   2011, A.D. King, "Nola's Island": Vacation From Degradation, Trafford Publishing, →ISBN, page 47

   I should be playin' in the winter snow, but I'ma be under the mistletoe / With you, shawty with you

   2011, “Mistletoe”, in Under the Mistletoe, performed by Justin Bieber

   It was my birthday weekend, and one of my shorties decided she wanted to take a playa to Amsterdam to celebrate, we took a sightseeing tour bus and we saw everything there was to see.

   2013, Jah King Entertainment, Time 2 Set It Off!: downloadable copy, Jah King Inc., →ISBN, page 90

   I don't give a fuck, what he wants from me, I'll give him anything to get my shorty back, I swear, he better not have hurt or touched my shorty, or I'm a kill 'em when I see'em.

   2014, Antonio Harriston, Lust, Money, Envy, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 169

6. A short-legged and sleeveless or short-sleeved wetsuit.

   Now that it’s below 9C I’m layering a shorty wetsuit over a long-sleeve swimsuit, with neoprene socks and gloves.

   2022 November 29, Kate Bussmann, “Forget the Dryrobe – there’s a new versatile outfit for the nation’s wild swimmers”, in Chris Evans, editor, The Daily Telegraph, London: Telegraph Media Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 29 Nov 2022

   2 more examples

   However, many buy a wetsuit, because it can be pretty unpleasant to put on a musty hire suit. There are various thickness options, but a good compromise is a 5mm one-piece wetsuit and a 5mm 'shorty' worn over the top. (In warmer climes, use either suit on its own).

   2006 December 8, “All you need to know about: Scuba diving”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 28 Sep 2014

   Our instructors, Ryan and Shannon, offered us hot coffee to warm up, and a variety of wetsuit options to settle the attire issue. Carlos chose his own full suit. I grabbed my spring shorty with long sleeves.

   2010 May 21, Catharine Cooper, “Chasing Down The Muse: The art of the paddle”, in Daily Pilot, Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles Times Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 06 Dec 2025

7. informalhobbiesA shorthanded goal.

alternative shortie · alternative shawtie · alternative shawty

1. informalnot comparableShorter than normal, especially of clothing.

   “It’s a shorty wrap— 2.6, which means it’s 2.6 meters,” she [Lesley Doyle] said. “We kind of geek out over this stuff.”

   2010 March 20, Deborah Netburn, “Baby carriers: One size does not fit all”, in Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles Times Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 09 Mar 2021

   2 more examples

   Last seasons long, droopy skirt is being seen to by the scissors turning it into this season's shorty version, still handily teamed with last season/this season/next seasons comfy sloppy Joe. The effect won't just be felt by the very young. While we started off the winter craving a slightly dour and earnest uniform of dark colours, sensible fabrics and long skirts, the shorty skirt signals a renewed lightness and chirpiness.

   1993 December 30, Kate Constable, “Fashion: Relax] It's all up to you ..”, in The Independent, London: Independent News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 06 Jul 2022

   Reviewers often mention that Hunters, specifically the tall boots, don’t fit their calves—and that’s why we’d choose the shorty version, which is short enough that this problem doesn’t crop up.

   2019 October 10, Eve O'Neill, “The Best Rain Boots for Men and Women”, in Wirecutter, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 01 Aug 2020

alternative shortie · alternative shawtie · alternative shawty

1. femininenominativeobjectivesingularslangthird personAfrican-American VernacularSynonym of she or her, especially of a younger woman.

   Shorty said

   2023 February 5, The Sound Hashira (@chillixci), Twitter

   5 more examples

   Bell: Savino didn't tip you off to that bitch? Wee-Bey: Pshh, wasn't no time for that. He get up out the car, we see him go up the block like we said, right? Pshh, after that, he outa sight, we bring it home like we planned, baby. Bell: Well, shorty was a cop.

   2002 August 18, David Simon, Ed Burns, “The Hunt” (15:40 from the start), in The Wire, season 1, episode 11, spoken by Stringer Bell (Idris Elba), spoken by Wee-Bey Brice (Hassan Johnson)

   Shorty really killed this 😭

   2023 February 5, Za Morant (@APotOfGold_), Twitter

   I asked shorty for her name and she said “earn it”

   2023 February 1, Hoodville (@Hoodville_), Twitter

   shorty concussed and she said not my problem 😭

   2023 February 1, Chronic E (@therealchronice), Twitter

   Me tryna show shorty I’m just as useful as that toy

   2023 January 29, @Squid_wurdz on IG (@squid_wurdz), Twitter

   Synonyms: she or her

1. A nickname for a short person or (ironic, humorous) a tall person.

   "When I was in the army in forty-three, / A guy named Shorty stole my wife from me."

   1952, Que Martin, “Shorty” (Single record), performed by Vernon Dilworth with Vernon Dilworth's Top Cats, Top Hat Records