skivvy

 
Pronunciation: /ˈskɪvi/

noun (plural skivvies)

  • 1British informal a female domestic servant who performs menial tasks: I found a job as a maid-of-all-work, a skivvy
  • a person doing work that is poorly paid and considered menial: I’m really the office skivvy
  • 2 (also skivvy shirt) US & Australian a lightweight high-necked long-sleeved garment.
  • a T-shirt or short-sleeved vest.
  • 3 (skivvies) North American underwear consisting of a vest and underpants.
    [originally a US navy term]

verb (skivvies, skivvying, skivvied)

[no object] British informal
  • do menial household tasks; work as a skivvy: I was skivvying for that Brixton family

Origin:

early 20th century: of unknown origin