sweater

American  

[swet-er] / ˈswɛt ər /

noun

1. a knitted jacket or jersey, in pullover or cardigan style, with or without sleeves.

2. a person or thing that sweats.

3. an employer who underpays and overworks employees.

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adjective

1. of, for, or pertaining to a sweater.

   sweater yarn; sweater fashions.

2. made like a sweater.

   a sweater dress.

sweater British  

/ ˈswɛtə /

noun

1. 1. a garment made of knitted or crocheted material covering the upper part of the body, esp a heavy one worn for warmth

   2. ( as modifier )

      a sweater dress

2. a person or thing that sweats

3. an employer who overworks and underpays his employees

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Etymology

Origin of sweater

1520–30 sweater for def. 2; 1880–85 sweater for def. 1; sweat + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Wearing a thick navy jacket over a wool sweater, Ivannikov, the head of the department of tropical and subtropical plants, picked up a leaf that had just come rustling down.

From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026

He later removed his sweater and sat in a plain, white T-shirt.

From BBC • Feb. 3, 2026

As Cal tells his former best friend, Isla, her Fair Isle sweater boasts 29 different shades.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 30, 2026

She hangs out on pillows surrounding her gas stove with her cat Murchyk, which now always wears a little sweater.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 26, 2026

He’d laid his cape over her in the same way the mother had laid her sweater over him.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman