sweater
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
All four words describe knitted upper-body garments, but they differ in regional use and design features. Sweater is the dominant term in American English and the standard word taught in Taiwan — it covers any knitted top, whether it is a pullover style or opens at the front. Jumper is the British equivalent for the same range of garments; Taiwanese learners encounter it in British textbooks but rarely use it locally. Pullover refers specifically to a sweater without buttons or a zip that slips on over the head — every pullover is a sweater, but not every sweater is a pullover. Cardigan is a sweater with a full front opening fastened by buttons or a zip. In everyday use: 'I put on a sweater before leaving the house' is neutral; 'I put on a cardigan' adds the detail of an open front; 'I put on a pullover' stresses that it has no opening. Learners should default to sweater for general use.
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'sweater' comes from the verb 'sweat' (to perspire) combined with the suffix '-er', which here means 'something that causes'. In the late 1800s, heavy woollen garments were worn during exercise to make the body sweat, as part of weight-loss methods. By the early 1900s, the word had shifted to mean any knitted upper garment worn for warmth, regardless of whether the wearer sweats in it. The ice-hockey sense dates from the early 20th century, when players began wearing thick, team-coloured pullovers on the rink.