redshirt
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
An unimportant character introduced only to be killed in order to underscore the peril to the important characters; an expendable character.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Sensing danger, Captain Kirk decided to beam down to the surface with Spock, McCoy, and a couple of redshirts.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “redshirt” mean?
An unimportant character introduced only to be killed in order to underscore the peril to the important characters; an expendable character.
Is “redshirt” formal or informal?
redshirt is generally slang.