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• cardigan
  cardigan

  noun

  a usually collarless knitted sweater or jacket that opens down the front.
• Cardigan
  Cardigan

  noun

  Cardiganshire.

cardigan

¹ American  

[kahr-di-guhn] / ˈkɑr dɪ gən /

noun

• cardigans
  plural

1. a usually collarless knitted sweater or jacket that opens down the front.

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Cardigan ² American  

[kahr-di-guhn] / ˈkɑr dɪ gən /

noun

1. Cardiganshire.

2. one of a variety of Welsh corgi having a long tail.

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Cardigan ¹ British  

/ ˈkɑːdɪɡən /

noun

1. the larger variety of corgi, having a long tail

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Cardigan ² British  

/ ˈkɑːdɪɡən /

noun

1. 7th Earl of, title of James Thomas Brudenell. 1797–1868, British cavalry officer. He led the charge of the Light Brigade at Balaklava (1854) during the Crimean War.

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cardigan ³ British  

/ ˈkɑːdɪɡən /

noun

1. a knitted jacket or sweater with buttons up the front

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• cardigans
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of cardigan

First recorded in 1865–70; named after J. T. Brudnell, 7th Earl of Cardigan (1797–1868), British cavalryman of Crimean War fame

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Explanation

A cardigan is a sweater that opens in front. Your favorite cardigan might have pearl buttons and pockets. Unlike a sweater that you pull on over your head, a cardigan is shrugged on over the shoulders and buttons, zips, or snaps up the front — or is worn open, with no fasteners at all. During the Crimean War in the 1800s, English general James Thomas Brudenell's troops wore jackets that opened in front, and since he was the 7th Earl of Cardigan, these garments — and future open-front sweaters — were known as cardigans.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cardigan Cardigan cardigans

Dressed in thrift-store finds, a flowy dress with a half-buttoned cardigan, Blevins packs a hipster style that’s chic without playing the fashion game.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2026

The snag is: You have to knit the fox-emblazoned cardigan Ryan Gosling wears in “Project Hail Mary” yourself.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 2, 2026

Traitor Rachel opted for bright coloured knitwear in the final episode of the series too, wearing a £350 pink and red cardigan, also from Hope Macaulay.

From BBC ● Jan. 24, 2026

Sims, wearing a gray cardigan and a large hair clip, told AFP she had particularly wanted Trump to deliver on his promises to address affordability issues.

From Barron's ● Jan. 16, 2026

And most importantly, I’m wearing a button-down shirt and a cardigan and glasses, and I’m kind of feeling myself tonight.

From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

Corinna Baker, 21, was found at Netpool Boat Yard in Cardigan, Ceredigion, in November last year.

From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026

The second part honors David Rhys Jones, a schoolteacher at Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi in Cardigan, Wales, who taught the study's lead author.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 21, 2026

At the highest end are boarding schools such as Cardigan Mountain, where repeating a grade for academic, emotional or other reasons has been common for decades.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 22, 2026

Rhys returned to Wales for his national tour playing Richard Burton in a one-man show that began on 17 November in Mwldan, Cardigan, and concludes in Pontrhydyfen.

From BBC ● Nov. 19, 2025

But this, it is hardly necessary to observe, is to take the "Cambrian" at less than its average and the "Cardigan" at rather more.

From Mushroom Town by Oliver Onions

It is not uncommon for employees to bring in cardigans or sweaters to wear in office hours because temperatures are maintained at such low levels.

From BBC ● Apr. 9, 2026

Fans flocked to theaters in Swift-themed merchandise, sporting cardigans and orange clothing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2025

There were ridiculously long cardigans, leather pants and tracksuits — spanning the gamut of modern human existence.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 20, 2024

That compares to a 7.6% increase in 2022, Deloitte said, when high inflation drove up prices for everything from Christmas cardigans and toys to home appliances.

From Reuters ● Sep. 13, 2023

Hanging there with the raincoats and cardigans was a red dog leash.

From "Wish" by Barbara O'Connor

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