Meaning & use
shorties
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“shorties” is a form of “shorty”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nounpluralinformal
People who are noticeably below average height, especially when the speaker is being playful or unkind.
Grammar: Always plural in this sense; the singular 'shorty' refers to one such person.
Patterns
- the shorties
- a group of shorties
The coach put the shorties at the front of the class photo.
He teased his little brother and his friends, calling them the shorties.
In that old song the singer brags about the shorties in his crew.
nounpluralinformal
Short pants, especially ones that end above the knee.
Grammar: Plural because it names a pair of garments, like 'shorts' or 'trousers'.
Patterns
- a pair of shorties
- wear shorties
She packed a pair of shorties for the beach.
Those denim shorties are too small for me now.
He wore shorties and a T-shirt all summer.
nounpluralinformal
A short drink, especially a small serving of strong alcohol.
Grammar: Plural noun; used mainly in speech about bars and parties.
Patterns
- order shorties
- a round of shorties
They ordered a few shorties before dinner.
The bartender lined up the shorties on the counter.
We had shorties at the bar and then went home.
Word forms
| singular | shorty |
|---|
Common combinations
- a pair of shorties
- He bought a pair of shorties for the holiday.
- wear shorties
- In July everyone wears shorties around here.
- call someone a shorty
- It is rude to call someone a shorty in front of others.
- order shorties
- They ordered shorties and watched the game.
- the shorties in the group
- The shorties in the group stood in the front row.
Synonyms and how they differ
- shorts
- The standard word for the clothing; 'shorties' is more casual and often suggests a shorter cut.
- small ones
- A neutral way to talk about short people; unlike 'shorties' it carries no teasing tone.
- shots
- A common word for small strong drinks; 'shorties' is less standard and more slangy.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: shorties or shorts? shorties or shorty?
shorties vs shorts
'Shorts' is the normal word for the clothing and is neutral; 'shorties' is informal and can also mean short people, so it may sound teasing.
shorties vs shorty
'Shorty' is singular and refers to one person or drink; 'shorties' is the plural form used for several.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'shorties' correctly and naturally?
Choose one answer.
'Shorties' is a plural noun for short people (or short pants or drinks), so it fits 'the shorties ... stood'. The other options use it as a singular countable noun or as an adjective, which is not how it works.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “shorties”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.