shirt, any of a variety of garments having sleeves and worn on the upper part of the body, often under a coat, jacket, or other garment. Shirts were worn as early as the 18th dynasty of ancient Egypt (c. 1539–1292 BCE); they were made of a rectangular piece of linen, folded and sewn up the sides, with openings left for the arms and a hole cut at the fold for the head. There are also shirts preserved from ancient Egypt that have long, tight sleeves sewn into the armholes.