jumper

jumper — noun

1. a warm top that is usually knitted from wool or thick cotton, covers the upper b

1.nounB1
Definition

a warm top that is usually knitted from wool or thick cotton, covers the upper body and arms, and is pulled on over the head with no front opening

Example

Olivia wore a thick woollen jumper and a scarf to keep warm that winter.

The blue jumper on the top shelf costs less than the red one.

colour + jumper — collocating colours with clothing items

Common collocations
  • woollen jumper
  • knitted jumper
  • blue jumper
  • thick jumper
  • take off a jumper
  • pull on a jumper
Synonyms
  • sweater

    the American English term for the same garment; also used in British English for some styles

  • pullover

    emphasises that the garment is put on by pulling it over the head; slightly more formal

Grammar Patterns

a + [adjective] + jumper

jumper + [colour/material]

Usage Note

In British English, this is the usual word for what American English speakers call a sweater. The garment is 'pulled on' over the head, which is the origin of the name.

Common Mistakes

She put on her jumper jacket.
She put on her jumper.
A jumper is already a top; do not add 'jacket' after it.

2. a way of describing a casual game of football, especially one played in the stre

2.nounB2
Definition

a way of describing a casual game of football, especially one played in the street as a child, where items of clothing are laid on the ground to mark where the goals are

Example

The children played jumpers for goalposts in the street until their mothers called them home.

idiomatic phrase: jumpers for goalposts

Hamza smiled thinking of jumpers for goalposts and sunny afternoons with friends.

Common collocations
  • jumpers for goalposts
  • play jumpers for goalposts

Grammar Patterns

jumpers for goalposts

Usage Note

This sense is almost always used in the fixed phrase 'jumpers for goalposts' and is strongly tied to nostalgic memories of childhood. It is not used for formal or organised football matches.

3. a dress that has no sleeves and is designed to be worn on top of a blouse or ano

3.nounB2
Definition

a dress that has no sleeves and is designed to be worn on top of a blouse or another top that covers the arms

Example

Talia wore a smart grey jumper over a long-sleeved white blouse for her school uniform.

pattern: jumper over [a top]

The little girl's jumper had tiny flowers on it and matched the blue shirt underneath.

Common collocations
  • wear a jumper over a blouse
  • school jumper
  • grey jumper
  • cotton jumper
Synonyms
  • pinafore

    the more formal term; often used in clothing catalogues

  • pinafore dress

    a fuller name that avoids confusion with the sweater meaning

Grammar Patterns

a/[number] + [adjective] + jumper

jumper + over + [a garment]

Usage Note

In British English, this garment is also called a pinafore dress. In American English, this type of clothing is usually called a jumper only in fashion contexts, whereas 'jumper' more commonly means a sweater.

4. a living creature — a person, animal, or insect — that moves by pushing itself o

4.nounB1
Definition

a living creature — a person, animal, or insect — that moves by pushing itself off the ground into the air, especially one known for doing this well

Example

The kangaroo is one of the best jumpers in the animal world.

collocation: best jumper — describing an animal's ability

A grasshopper is a tiny jumper that can leap many times its own body length.

Common collocations
  • good jumper
  • strong jumper
  • natural jumper
  • tiny jumper
Synonyms
  • leaper

    more formal and less common; used in literary or scientific writing

  • hopper

    specifically for insects or small animals that hop rather than jump

Grammar Patterns

[adjective] + jumper

a jumper + [prepositional phrase]

Usage Note

This sense is a general descriptor and can apply to any creature that jumps. It is often preceded by an adjective that describes the quality of the jumping ability, such as 'good', 'strong', or 'natural'.

5. an athlete who takes part in a jumping event at a sports competition, such as th

5.nounB2
Definition

an athlete who takes part in a jumping event at a sports competition, such as the long jump, high jump, or triple jump

Example

Mayumi became the top junior jumper after winning the long jump competition.

Min trained every morning to become a better high jumper before the summer games.

compound noun: high jumper

Common collocations
  • junior jumper
  • top jumper
  • young jumper
  • high jumper
  • long jumper
Synonyms
  • long jumper

    more specific — refers only to the long jump event

  • high jumper

    more specific — refers only to the high jump event

  • triple jumper

    more specific — refers only to the triple jump event

Grammar Patterns

[type of jump] + jumper

a jumper + in/at + [competition/event]

Usage Note

When used alone, 'jumper' in sports usually needs context — the specific event is often made clear by the compound form, e.g. 'long jumper', 'high jumper', or 'triple jumper'.

6. in the game of rugby, a player who lifts off the ground to take the ball that is

6.nounC1
Definition

in the game of rugby, a player who lifts off the ground to take the ball that is thrown sideways into the field to restart the game

Example

Michael was the tallest player, so the coach chose him as the jumper at lineouts.

The jumper caught the ball cleanly and passed it quickly to the scrum-half.

rugby role: the jumper at lineouts

Common collocations
  • play as a jumper
  • the jumper at lineouts
  • tallest jumper

Grammar Patterns

play as a/the jumper

serve as a jumper

Usage Note

This is a specialist rugby term. Outside of rugby contexts, the word 'jumper' will be understood in its general or clothing meanings instead. The jumper is typically the tallest player in the team.

7. A shot in basketball where the player leaps into the air and releases the ball n

7.nounB1
Definition

A shot in basketball where the player leaps into the air and releases the ball near the peak of the jump, aiming for the basket.

Example

Christopher scored twelve points with his jumper from the three-point line.

collocation: from the three-point line

Renata's jump shot went through the net just before the buzzer sounded.

collocation: jump shot / jumper (interchangeable in basketball)

Common collocations
  • make a jumper
  • shoot a jumper
  • hit a jumper
  • miss a jumper
  • from the free-throw line
  • from beyond the arc
Synonyms
  • jump shot

    the full, more formal term for the same action

Usage Note

Jumper and jump shot are used interchangeably in basketball contexts. The shorter form jumper is more common in informal commentary and conversation.

Common Mistakes

He made a beautiful jumper from the free-throw line.' (no correction needed — this is correct)
Some learners confuse jumper (shot) with a jumper (sweater); context and the verb 'shoot/make' disambiguate.

8. A short piece of wire or a small metal component used to bridge two points in an

8.nounC1
Definition

A short piece of wire or a small metal component used to bridge two points in an electrical circuit, often for testing, reconfiguration, or temporary repair.

Example

Putri used a small jumper to reconnect the loose wires on the circuit board.

object: reconnect loose wires

Adisa replaced the jumper on the hard drive to change its master-slave setting.

Common collocations
  • install a jumper
  • remove a jumper
  • jumper block
  • jumper pin
  • set a jumper
  • jumper on the motherboard
Synonyms
  • jumper wire

    emphasises the wire form of the connector

  • shunt

    technical term for a device that creates a low-resistance path

Usage Note

Common in computing and electronics. Jumpers on hard drives or motherboards are often referred to as jumper blocks or jumper pins. The term capacitor jumper refers to a specific type of connection.

Common Mistakes

I need a jumper to connect this device to Wi-Fi.
I need a jumper to bridge these two pins on the circuit board.
A jumper creates a physical electrical connection, not a wireless network link.

9. A loose outer garment similar to a smock, put on over regular clothing to shield

9.nounC1
Definition

A loose outer garment similar to a smock, put on over regular clothing to shield it from grease, paint, or dust, commonly used by mechanics and painters.

Example

The mechanic wiped his oily hands on his blue jumper before opening the bonnet.

Nellie's father came home from the workshop still wearing his paint-stained jumper.

collocation: paint-stained jumper

Common collocations
  • blue jumper
  • paint-stained jumper
  • wear a jumper
  • workman's jumper
Synonyms
  • smock

    more general term for a protective garment worn over clothes

  • overall

    often used in plural form (overalls) for a similar protective garment

Usage Note

This sense is primarily British English. In American English, the word coverall or smock is more common for this garment. Do not confuse with jumper meaning sweater (British) or pinafore dress (American).

Common Mistakes

The painter put on his jumper before starting work.' (correct in British English but confusing to American readers)
The painter put on his smock before starting work.
In American English, jumper refers to a sleeveless dress, not a work jacket.

10. A one-piece garment that covers the body, arms, and legs, worn by babies and you

10.nounB2
Definition

A one-piece garment that covers the body, arms, and legs, worn by babies and young children to keep them warm or protect their clothes.

Example

Sofie dressed her child in a warm jumper before playing in the snow.

collocation: warm jumper

The children's jumpers had plastic snaps along the legs for easy nappy changes.

Common collocations
  • baby jumper
  • put on a jumper
  • zip-up jumper
  • warm jumper
  • patterned jumper
Synonyms
  • coverall

    the most common American English equivalent

  • romper suit

    a similar one-piece garment, often with short sleeves and legs

  • onesie

    informal American English term for a baby's one-piece garment

Usage Note

This sense is primarily British English. In American English, the equivalent garment is called a coverall, romper, or onesie. British English may also call it a babygro or sleepsuit depending on the design.

Common Mistakes

The baby wore a cute jumper with a hood.' (correct in British English)
No error, but be aware that in American English this would mean a sleeveless dress over a blouse, not a baby coverall.

Word family

  • jump
    verbA1
  • jump
    nounA2
  • jumping
    adjectiveB1
  • jumpy
    adjectiveB2
  • jumper cables
    noun phraseB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Jumper (sense 1) refers to a knitted garment covering the upper body, pulled on over the head — this is the standard British English term. Sweater is the American English equivalent for the same garment, though British speakers also use it for certain styles (e.g. a cardigan or crew-neck). Pullover is a near-synonym that emphasises the action of pulling the garment over the head; it sounds slightly more formal or descriptive than jumper. Do not confuse jumper (sense 1) with pinafore dress (sense 3) — a pinafore is a sleeveless dress worn over a blouse, not a knitted top. Nor with coverall (sense 10 — a one-piece baby garment) or smock (sense 9 — a workman's protective jacket). In American English, the word 'jumper' alone is rarely used for a sweater; instead it primarily means a pinafore dress (sense 3). For a learner, using 'jumper' in British English and 'sweater' in American English will avoid confusion.

sweater ↗pullover ↗pinafore dresscoverall

Common collocations

Nouns

  • wool jumper
  • cotton jumper
  • knitted jumper
  • school jumper

Phrases

  • wear a jumper
  • take off a jumper
  • pull on a jumper
  • jumper dress
  • jumper cables (American English)

Prepositions

  • in a jumper
  • over [blouse/shirt] (with sense 3)
  • with [collar/stripes/pattern]

Etymology

Dialectal English (jump/jupp — short coat)English (jump + -er — agentive)American English (jump shot → jumper)English (electronics — jumper wire)

Jumper entered English along two separate paths. The clothing senses ('sweater', 'pinafore dress', 'workman's smock', 'baby coverall') probably come from the dialectal noun 'jump' or 'jupp' (18th–19th century Scotland and Northern England), which meant a short coat or a man's loose jacket — the origin of that word is itself uncertain. The 'one who jumps' sense (a person, animal, or insect) comes directly from the verb 'jump' (first recorded around 1500, origin unknown) plus the agentive suffix '-er'. The basketball sense noun/7 ('jump shot', shortened to 'jumper') is a 20th-century American shortening. The electrical sense (noun/8) emerged with computing and electronics in the mid-1900s. Over time, these unrelated origins converged on the same spelling and pronunciation, giving 'jumper' its unusually wide range of meanings.