jill

IPA/dʒɪl/
KK[dʒˈɪl]IPA/dʒɪl/

jill — noun

  • jillsingular
  • jillsplural

1. protective underwear for female athletes, fitting closely around the hips and sh

1.nounC2
Definition

protective underwear for female athletes, fitting closely around the hips and shielding the crotch area during sport.

Example

Romi put on a padded jill before the school hockey match.

pattern: put on / wear a jill before sport

The coach told each player to check her jill before training.

pattern: check / adjust a jill before play

Common collocations
  • padded jill
  • wear a jill
  • check a jill
  • wash a jill

Grammar Patterns

a jill

wear a jill

buy a jill

Usage Note

Used mainly for women's contact sports or other activities where the groin needs protection. The male equivalent is usually called a 'jockstrap', so using 'jill' helps show the gear is designed for female athletes.

Common Mistakes

She wore a jockstrap for practice.
She wore a jill for practice.
in women's sport, 'jill' names the female version of this protective garment.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Jill' is a niche term for the female version of the lower-body protective garment used in sport. A 'jockstrap' is the better-known male equivalent, built around a front pouch and often a hard cup. 'Groin protector' is a broader label that can mean either a wearable garment or a separate protective insert, so it is less exact than 'jill'. 'Compression shorts' are different again: they hold the muscles tightly and reduce rubbing, but they do not focus protection on the crotch in the same way. In a rugby or hockey setting, a player may wear compression shorts for support but still choose a jill for direct impact protection.

jill ↗jockstrap ↗groin protectorcompression shorts

Common collocations

Nouns

  • padded jill
  • jill straps

Phrases

  • wear a jill
  • buy a jill
  • wash a jill

Prepositions

  • jill under [shorts]