A light sleeveless or short-sleeved shirt worn under other clothes for warmth or to absorb sweat.
Compound word: 'under' (below) + 'shirt' (garment). The term emerged in English in the mid-1800s as undershirts became standard under-layer clothing for men.
The humble undershirt is a perfect example of how technology follows function—once people realized you could wear a thin layer under outer clothes for comfort and cleanliness, undershirts became essential. In many cultures, what counts as acceptable underwear versus outerwear is wildly different, showing how 'decency' is culturally invented.
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