General
skivvies
What does skivvies mean?
Underwear. In Navy and Marine usage specifically the white cotton t-shirt and boxer shorts issued at boot camp. You sleep in your skivvies, you run to the head in your skivvies, you stand at attention in your skivvies for a surprise hygiene inspection.
"Fire alarm went off at 0300 — whole platoon out on the grinder in their skivvies."
Origin
US Navy slang dating to the early 1900s; exact root unclear but firmly established by WWII.
Frequently asked questions
What does skivvies mean?
It's slang for underwear, specifically the t-shirt and shorts.
How do you use skivvies in a sentence?
"He answered the door in his skivvies."
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