pullover

pullover — noun

1. A piece of knitted clothing covering the upper body, with sleeves and no front f

1.nounB1
Definition

A piece of knitted clothing covering the upper body, with sleeves and no front fasteners — worn by sliding it down over the head.

Example

Sahil wore a thick wool pullover to keep warm during the winter hike.

collocation: thick wool pullover

The store had a sale on cashmere pullovers in bright colours.

collocation: cashmere pullovers

Common collocations
  • wear a pullover
  • knitted pullover
  • wool pullover
  • cotton pullover
  • thick pullover
  • cashmere pullover
  • pull one's pullover over one's head
Synonyms
  • sweater

    the more common American term for the same type of garment; also used in British English

  • jumper

    British term, especially for a knitted garment worn over a shirt

  • jersey

    less common; can refer to a knitted top or a sports shirt

Antonyms
  • cardigan

    a knitted top that opens at the front with buttons or a zip

Grammar Patterns

a pullover

pullover + noun

Usage Note

Pullover is more common in British English than American English. In the US, sweater is the usual word for most knitted upper-body garments, while pullover specifically refers to one without buttons or a front zip. In Taiwan, 套頭毛衣 is the everyday term.

Common Mistakes

I wore a pullover with buttons down the front.
I wore a cardigan with buttons down the front.
A pullover has no front opening; a cardigan opens at the front.

pullover — adjective

pullover — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Pullover, sweater, jumper, and cardigan all refer to knitted garments for the upper body, but they differ in regional use and design. Sweater is the dominant term in American English for any knitted top, while in British English it usually means a long-sleeved knitted garment without a collar. Jumper is the everyday British word for the same kind of garment, especially one worn over a shirt. A pullover is a type of sweater or jumper that has no front opening — you pull it over your head. A cardigan, by contrast, opens at the front with buttons or a zip. For example, in a British clothing shop you might buy a jumper for everyday wear, but if you want one without buttons you would specifically ask for a pullover. In the US, most people just say sweater, and pullover is used mainly in catalogues to distinguish it from a cardigan.

pullover ↗sweater ↗jumper ↗cardigan

Etymology

Englishpull + over

Pullover is a compound formed from the verb pull and the adverb over, first recorded in the 1870s. The garment was named for the action required to put it on — pulling it over the wearer's head. The related phrasal verb pull over, meaning to move a vehicle to the roadside, emerged separately in the early 20th century alongside the rise of motor vehicles. In that case, over suggests moving sideways or off the main path.