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sweater

/ˈswɛdər/
/ˈswɛtə/
IPA guide

Other forms: sweaters

A sweater is a knitted piece of clothing that covers the top part of your body. Some people have ugly Christmas sweater contests—and if you wear your neon green reindeer sweater covered with pom-poms, you just might win!

In Britain it's a jumper, but in most of North America, it's a sweater. You put on a sweater either by pulling it over your head (if it's a pullover), or by putting your arms in the sleeves and shrugging it onto your shoulders (if it's a cardigan). As you might have guessed, sweater comes from sweat—the earliest sweaters were worn by rowers, and were intended "to produce sweating and reduce weight."

Definitions of sweater
  1. noun
    a crocheted or knitted garment covering the upper part of the body
    synonyms: jumper
    see moresee less
    types:
    cardigan
    a knitted sweater that is fastened up the front with buttons or a zipper
    pullover, slipover
    a sweater that is put on by pulling it over the head
    polo-neck, turtle, turtleneck
    a sweater or jersey with a high close-fitting collar
    sweatshirt
    cotton knit pullover with long sleeves worn during athletic activity
    type of:
    garment
    an article of clothing
  2. noun
    a person who perspires
    synonyms: perspirer
Pronunciation
US
/ˈswɛdər/
UK
/ˈswɛtə/
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