armhole

American  

[ahrm-hohl] / ˈɑrmˌhoʊl /

noun

1. an opening in a garment, under the shoulder, through which the hand, and then the arm, passes.

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armhole British  

/ ˈɑːmˌhəʊl /

noun

1. the opening in an article of clothing through which the arm passes and to which a sleeve is often fitted

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Etymology

Origin of armhole

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English arm-hol armpit; see origin at arm ¹, hole

Explanation

An armhole is the opening in a shirt where your arm goes. It's not hard to get tangled in a dress if you get the armholes mixed up with the neck opening. Sweaters, bathing suits, wedding gowns: these all have armholes. You might call these sleeves in the case of clothing that has them, although sleeveless garments — like chemises and sleeveless dresses — only have armholes. The original meaning of armhole, from the early 14th century, was "armpit" or "underarm," but the contemporary definition has come to be "opening in a garment for a wearer's arm."

Example Sentences

"You have to go back, sometimes to the very start. I had to go back and restart Brendan Gleeson's from the armhole."

From BBC • Feb. 28, 2023

It’s the lower armhole, it’s like it lifts the whole suit.

From Slate • Jan. 2, 2018

Look for a slightly lower armhole and less of a contour around the midsection, which will give you a wider range of motion without bursting your seams.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 28, 2015

How about that Comme des Gar�ons dress�is that the armhole or the neckband, and where does all that damned draping go?

From Time Magazine Archive

Yossarian bent forward to peer and saw a strangely colored stain seeping through the coveralls just above the armhole of Snowden’s flak suit.

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller